Fantasy sports platform Sorare is migrating its core operations from Ethereum to Solana, a move its CEO Nicolas Julia described as a strategic “upgrade” designed to improve scalability and user experience. While the transition will shift over ten of its sports games and their NFT trading cards to the Solana blockchain by the end of October, the company stressed it isn’t abandoning the Ethereum ecosystem.

A Calculated Shift for Scalability

After six years on Ethereum, Sorare’s leadership identified the need for a higher-performance blockchain to support its growing user base. Julia called Solana “the most viable chain” for the platform’s future, citing its speed, consumer-friendly design, and maturing infrastructure as key factors in the decision. He explained that the switch is a natural step for the company as it aims to reduce friction for its mainstream audience.

Sorare’s decision reflects a broader trend, with projects like 1inch and The Graph also migrating away from Ethereum in search of better performance. While Sorare considered other chains, including Sui and Aptos, Solana was deemed the most advanced option. Despite historical concerns about Solana’s network outages, Julia expressed confidence in its recently improved stability and the development team’s quick response to any issues.

Maintaining a Multichain Approach

Julia was clear that the migration is an expansion, not a replacement. “This is not a replacement, it’s an upgrade,” he stated, reaffirming the company’s long-term belief in Ethereum. Sorare will continue to support its Ethereum users by allowing Ether deposits through the Base network, an Ethereum Layer 2 solution.

To ensure a seamless experience across chains, Sorare is integrating Layer0 to unify payments on both Solana and Base. This technical setup allows the platform to leverage the unique strengths of multiple ecosystems, blending Solana’s performance with Ethereum’s decentralization and established community.

Solidifying a Market-Leading Position

With a valuation of $4.3 billion and five million users, Sorare remains a dominant force in the sports NFT market. Although the platform’s NFT floor prices have seen declines amid broader market volatility, its daily sales volume has remained stable, fluctuating between 5,000 and 30,000 transactions. This level of activity is comparable to its performance in 2022.

The move to Solana is positioned to strengthen Sorare’s standing against competitors like Flow, Chiliz, and Dapper Labs. Its market position was further consolidated following the shutdown of the DraftKings Marketplace in July 2024, leaving a significant gap for a leader in the licensed digital sports collectibles space.