Alameda Research's recent decision to unstake $35 million in Solana has drawn attention in the crypto community. These tokens were staked in late 2020 and have significantly increased in value since then.
Early Steps: Staking Solana in 2020
Alameda Research began staking Solana tokens in late 2020 when their value was around $351,960. As a result of the recent unstaking, 190,821 SOL tokens were released, valued at $35.52 million at the time of unstaking.
Recent Transactions by Alameda and FTX
This unstaking occurred only a week after a significant move of funds from cold wallets linked to FTX and Alameda Research. On July 31, 2025, $125 million worth of Ethereum and Solana was staked from these wallets. Recent data shows FTX put approximately $45 million worth of SOL into staking, while Alameda sent around $80 million worth of ETH.
Legal Troubles of Alameda and FTX
The legal troubles of FTX and Alameda began in November 2022 when it was revealed that customer assets were being used in risky trading. Following the scandal and bankruptcy filings, Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty and sentenced in 2024. Since then, FTX's new management has been working under court orders to return funds to creditors, having already returned approximately $6.2 billion in two payouts.
The release of SOL tokens raises questions about the future of creditor repayments and the ongoing actions of Alameda Research amid their legal issues.
