Product Keynote: SkyBridge Capital (Anthony Scaramucci)

Wall Street veteran Anthony Scaramucci took the stage at Breakpoint 2025 with a mission: convert the crypto skeptics. The SkyBridge Capital founder unveiled his new book "Solana Rising" and delivered a compelling case for why 2026 could be the year traditional finance giants finally embrace the Solana blockchain—potentially disrupting a $4 trillion global transaction market.

Summary

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Anthony Scaramucci, the 61-year-old founder of SkyBridge Capital, presented his newly released book "Solana Rising" at Breakpoint 2025, positioning himself as a bridge between the crypto-native Solana community and the institutional finance world that remains skeptical of blockchain technology. The book, released just one day before his keynote, features extensive interviews with Solana's founding team including Anatoly Yakovenko, Raj Gokal, and Lily Liu.

Scaramucci's central thesis revolves around the massive opportunity for Solana in 2026, driven by anticipated regulatory clarity through the Clarity Act and growing institutional interest in tokenizing real-world assets. He emphasized that his role is to translate the Solana vision to an older demographic of institutional investors and traditional finance professionals who currently don't understand or appreciate blockchain technology.

The veteran financier painted a picture of a future where major financial institutions like BlackRock, Blackstone, and JP Morgan could be actively transacting on the Solana network by the end of 2026. This vision is predicated on the blockchain's ability to dramatically reduce transaction costs across various financial services, from credit card fees to real estate closings.

Perhaps most significantly, Scaramucci called on the Solana community to become "proselytizers" of the blockchain's vision, recognizing that widespread adoption requires convincing not just tech-savvy early adopters, but the institutional gatekeepers who control trillions in capital allocation.

Key Points:

The Case for "Solana Rising"

Scaramucci's book represents a deliberate effort to bridge the communication gap between the crypto ecosystem and traditional finance. By interviewing key figures in Solana's founding story—Anatoly Yakovenko, Raj Gokal, and Lily Liu—he has created what he describes as an accessible narrative designed to convince skeptics of Solana's potential.

The book arrives at a pivotal moment, as regulatory clarity appears imminent and institutional curiosity about blockchain technology continues to grow. Scaramucci acknowledged that the primary audience isn't the believers already attending Breakpoint, but rather the institutional investors, fund managers, and corporate executives who remain on the sidelines due to lack of understanding or outright resistance.

The $4 Trillion Transaction Opportunity

One of the most striking figures from Scaramucci's presentation was his estimate that approximately $4 trillion is spent globally on transaction verification annually. This encompasses credit card processing fees, wire transfer costs, real estate transaction fees, legal and accounting costs associated with asset transfers, and numerous other friction points in the current financial system.

Scaramucci positioned Solana as the "great operating layer" that could dramatically reduce these costs, creating enormous economic value and innovation opportunities. The implication is clear: if even a fraction of these transactions migrate to more efficient blockchain rails, the opportunity for Solana and its ecosystem could be transformational.

2026: The Year of Institutional Adoption

Scaramucci made a bold prediction that 2026 will be a "breakthrough year" for Solana, driven primarily by anticipated passage of the Clarity Act. Despite noting some current Democratic opposition, he expressed confidence that the legislation will pass, creating a clear regulatory framework for tokenization of real-world assets.

This regulatory clarity, combined with growing institutional interest, could result in major financial institutions actively using the Solana network by the end of 2026. The prospect of BlackRock, Blackstone, and JP Morgan conducting transactions on Solana represents a fundamental shift from the current landscape where traditional finance largely observes crypto from the sidelines.

Breaking Through Institutional Resistance

Drawing from his experience traveling the world and speaking with institutional investors, Scaramucci provided a candid assessment of the current sentiment among traditional finance professionals. He described encountering people who are "older, don't understand it, don't like it," and who exhibit significant institutional resistance to blockchain technology.

This resistance isn't merely skepticism—it represents a fundamental communication challenge that the Solana community must address to achieve mainstream adoption. Scaramucci positioned himself and his book as tools to overcome this barrier, translating the technical vision of Solana's founders into language that resonates with traditional finance decision-makers.

Facts + Figures

• Anthony Scaramucci's book "Solana Rising" was released one day before his Breakpoint 2025 presentation

• An estimated $4 trillion is spent globally on transaction verification annually, including credit card fees, wire fees, and real estate transaction costs

• Scaramucci is approaching his 62nd birthday, representing the demographic he believes most needs convincing about blockchain technology

• The Clarity Act is predicted to pass in 2026, creating a regulatory pathway for tokenization of real-world assets

• Major institutions mentioned as potential Solana adopters include BlackRock, Blackstone, and JP Morgan

• The book features interviews with Solana founders Anatoly Yakovenko and Raj Gokal, as well as Lily Liu

• Scaramucci described himself as likely the only person wearing a tie at the event (besides security), highlighting the cultural gap between traditional finance and crypto

Top quotes

• "I thought it was very important to lay out the story because I think 2026 is going to be one of these breakthrough years for this chain."

• "We estimate that there's about $4 trillion of transactions globally that are spent on transaction verification."

• "When I travel the world and I talk to people about Solana, they're not the people in this room. They're people who are older, don't understand it, don't like it, and you can feel that institutional resistance."

• "If we can move things into this great operating layer and reduce those transaction costs, how much innovation, how much innovation economically."

• "I think it's very important for all of us here to be proselytizers of this great vision that Anatoly and Raj have put together."

• "We could be at a Solana breakpoint next year where you're seeing large-scale companies like BlackRock, Blackstone, JP Morgan, and a whole host of traditional finance people using this network to transact."

• "I like to tease people and say it's an international best-seller. And if you don't believe me, you can come into my basement. I'll show you every copy I bought to make it that way."

Questions Answered

What is Anthony Scaramucci's new book about?

"Solana Rising" is a comprehensive exploration of the Solana blockchain's story and potential, written specifically to convince skeptics and non-believers about the technology's value. The book features extensive interviews with Solana's founding team, including Anatoly Yakovenko, Raj Gokal, and Lily Liu. Scaramucci wrote it to bridge the gap between the crypto community and traditional finance professionals who remain skeptical or uninformed about blockchain technology.

Why does Scaramucci believe 2026 will be transformational for Solana?

Scaramucci predicts 2026 will be a breakthrough year primarily due to the anticipated passage of the Clarity Act, which would establish clear regulatory guidelines for tokenizing real-world assets. This regulatory clarity would remove a major barrier to institutional adoption, potentially enabling major financial institutions like BlackRock, Blackstone, and JP Morgan to begin transacting on the Solana network. The combination of regulatory framework and institutional readiness could fundamentally change how traditional finance interacts with blockchain technology.

How large is the market opportunity for blockchain-based transaction processing?

According to Scaramucci's research, approximately $4 trillion is spent globally each year on transaction verification across various financial services. This includes credit card processing fees, wire transfer costs, real estate transaction fees, and associated legal and accounting costs. If blockchain technology like Solana can significantly reduce these friction costs, the economic impact would be substantial, creating massive innovation opportunities and cost savings across the global economy.

Who is the target audience for Scaramucci's book?

The primary audience is not crypto enthusiasts or Solana believers, but rather traditional finance professionals, institutional investors, and older individuals who don't understand or are resistant to blockchain technology. Scaramucci explicitly noted that when he travels the world discussing Solana, he encounters significant institutional resistance from people who are unfamiliar with the technology. The book is designed to be an accessible introduction that can help convert these skeptics into believers.

What role does Scaramucci want the Solana community to play?

Scaramucci urged the Solana community to become "proselytizers" of the blockchain's vision, recognizing that mainstream adoption requires active evangelism beyond the existing crypto community. He emphasized that convincing institutional investors and traditional finance professionals is crucial for Solana's growth, and community members should use resources like his book to help educate and persuade skeptics about the technology's potential.