The Solana Foundation has designated former Binance manager Rachel Conlan as its new chief strategy officer, bringing in a prominent crypto sector veteran as the Solana (SOL) network intensifies its expansion into institutional finance and tokenized assets.
Conlan will direct strategic initiatives covering corporate alliances, network expansion, and programs to onboard additional organizations to Solana, according to the foundation’s Thursday announcement. She spent three years previously at Binance, concluding her tenure as global chief marketing officer prior to departing the digital asset platform in June.
Additionally, the organization recruited Jamal Raees to act as payments general manager. Raees comes from Polygon Labs, the engineering group behind the Polygon network (POL), and previously held positions at stablecoin infrastructure provider Bridge (currently part of Stripe) alongside cryptocurrency payments enterprise Wyre. His responsibilities will center on encouraging payments businesses and other commercial entities to utilize Solana for value transfer.
These appointments coincide with Solana actively pursuing legacy financial institutions and marketing its network as foundational architecture extending beyond mere cryptocurrency trading. Stablecoin transactions, tokenized funds, and equities have assumed a larger role in this messaging as financial establishments test the migration of assets and clearing processes onto public ledgers.
Earlier in the month, Solana Foundation President Lily Liu outlined what she characterized as the “Token Supercycle,” presenting the argument for a gradual transition of capital, property, and ownership toward continuous internet-native blockchain infrastructure. The premise suggests that an increasing volume of financial operations, ranging from transaction processing to securities, will ultimately transition to networks functioning continuously rather than adhering to conventional market operating hours.
The Solana network has handled in excess of $5 trillion in stablecoin turnover during the current year alone, as indicated by Allium data. Simultaneously, tokenized property on the protocol reached $4.5 billion, per RWA.xyz figures, which incorporates more than $600 million in shares according to statistics compiled by Blockworks.
“The present opportunity involves scaling that reach to a significantly broader audience,” Conlan stated via an official release. “That entails clarifying utility, establishing appropriate institutional connections, and assisting enterprises in advancing from initial curiosity to operational deployment.”
Originally published at https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/09/24/solana-foundation-hires-binance-polygon-veterans-as-it-ramps-up-tokenized-finance-push.
