Analysis of key success factors for DeFi applications on the Solana platform

Abstract

This bachelor thesis focuses on how insiders of the Solana ecosystem understand the success of decentralized finance (DeFi) projects and what factors they consider key to achieving it. The aim of the thesis is to identify and structure the main product, team, community, user, economic, and ecosystem dimensions that, according to respondents, collectively shape the success of DeFi projects on the Solana platform. The research is based on a literature review of DeFi and the specifics of the Solana ecosystem, as well as a qualitative survey based on eight semi-structured interviews with members of DeFi project teams and micro-influencers active in Solana DeFi. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which led to the identification of eleven main themes covering, among other things, product value and innovation, the role of the team and network, community and communication, UX/UI and onboarding, tokenomics and value distribution, security, integration and partnerships, and the influence of market cycles and narratives. The results show that success is not associated with a single isolated factor, but with a portfolio of interdependent dimensions, some of which are directly controlled by project creators and some of which are determined by the broader ecosystem and market context. The work provides a theoretical contribution in the form of a systematic framework of success factors for DeFi projects specifically in the Solana environment, as well as a practical contribution for creators, investors, and other actors, offering them a roadmap for designing, evaluating, and strategically managing DeFi projects on this platform.