Solana Saga smartphones, despite a previous price drop due to limited sales, are now selling at considerably higher prices on the secondary market, sometimes reaching up to eight times the original price. A sudden turnaround that can be explained by the memecoin BONK’s recent surge.
Solana Saga smartphones trade for thousands of dollars
The Solana Saga, the smartphone developed by Solana, is back on track. While the manufacturer had to reduce the selling price of its device (the initial price was around 1,000 dollars, or 915 euros) a few months ago due to low sales volumes, all models are now sold out:
The Saga is SOLD OUT!
Words cannot describe how much we appreciate your support. We are nothing without this amazing community
While these past few days will be cemented in our history, we’re excited for the future
Stay tuned ✨ pic.twitter.com/KJje8lBDLL
– Solana Mobile 2️⃣ (@solanamobile) December 16, 2023
Thus, sales of Solana’s phone on the secondary market have exploded, sometimes up to 8 times their initial selling price. The eBay platform reports Solana Sagas selling for over $5,000, with most models now averaging over $2,500.
Preview of Solana Saga models currently for sale on eBay
And many of these are being added to eBay’s “watch lists”, a sign of significant interest. But where does this sudden interest in Solana’s smartphone come from, despite the fact that it had suffered from less-than-glowing reviews?
To find the answer to this question, it’s necessary to look at the BONK memecoin, which has been in the news lately, with a price increase of over 13,000% since mid-October.
Effectively, among other benefits linked to the Solana ecosystem, the Saga phone is sold with an airdrop of BONK tokens. But the rise in the BONK price is such that the airdrop in question, which includes 30 million tokens, is now more valuable than the device itself, which until now sold for $599 on the official site.
Evolution of the BONK token price from launch to today
Some twenty phones sold for over $2,000 each over the weekend, or $1,400 more than their initial retail price. Hype effect or long-term added value for the Solana Saga? It could well last, as other airdrops are set to appear soon for the smartphone’s owner.
Rooter, founder of the decentralized lending and borrowing protocol Solend, said on X, for example, that “Solend is working on an airdrop for Saga owners”. Anatoly Yakovenko, co-founder of Solana, said: “I think we may have overcome the first hurdle. But there’s still a lot of work to be done”, referring to the phone’s adoption
