Solana Treasury Firm Forward Industries Announces $1B Share Buyback

Forward Industries is strengthening its position within the Solana (SOL) ecosystem, taking a major step with a $1 billion program to buy back its own shares. The initiative, set to continue through September 30, 2027, reflects the company’s focus on Solana, where it holds more SOL than any other corporation.

Board Approval and Buyback Structure

The company’s board approved the program on November 3, authorizing Forward Industries to reacquire up to $1 billion of its common stock. The plan allows the firm to repurchase shares gradually, using a combination of methods. Purchases may occur directly on the open market, through block trades, or via privately arranged buybacks, giving the company flexibility to manage its share count while responding to market conditions.

Forward Industries plans to conduct the buybacks in compliance with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and may use Rule 10b5-1 trading plans, which let companies repurchase shares without raising insider trading concerns.

Commenting on the initiative, Kyle Samani, Chairman of the Board, said the buyback reflects confidence in the company’s approach and in Solana’s ecosystem and forms part of the company’s effort to create long-term value for shareholders, noting that the resale registration followed a recent PIPE transaction.

Samani also stated that “the authorization gives us flexibility to return capital to shareholders when we believe our stock trades below intrinsic value, all while continuing to execute our Solana treasury and operational initiatives.”

Solana Holdings and Market Pressures

Forward Industries maintains a significant position in Solana, holding more than 6.8 million SOL. According to data from CoinGecko, this stake is valued at approximately $1.07 billion, making it the largest corporate Solana treasury. 

Meanwhile, the company’s stock fell roughly 25% in a single day following the buyback announcement. The decrease coincided with softer market sentiment among cryptocurrency-focused equities. Even with substantial SOL holdings and a structured repurchase program, Forward Industries faced downward pressure as investors reacted to broader market trends.

Solana itself has shown a similar downward trajectory, dropping more than 19% over the past week and over 3% in the last 24 hours. The token hit $148 on Tuesday, its lowest level since July 9, as the broader crypto market continues to struggle. 

The recent weakness in the market reflects broader challenges for companies that adopted a crypto treasury model during the bull run. These firms built up large digital asset holdings to support their operations and explore higher-growth opportunities. Current conditions, however, have exposed pressures within this approach.

Experts from Standard Chartered point out that many of these companies are now under pressure, with enterprise values falling below the market value of their crypto holdings, compressing their market net asset value and creating a clear valuation squeeze.