In Malaysia, the side hustle culture is thriving.
From selling homemade goodies on social media, to providing online tutoring sessions via video calls, to taking on freelance design projects, people are maximizing their means to increase income. With the cost of living on the rise and flexible work sought after, Malaysians are looking for new avenues to earn extra money without showing up to a 9-to-5 desk.
But aside from old-fashioned side income streams, another alternative is growing stealthily: earning through cryptocurrency. Specifically, Solana (SOL) is attracting notice for its speed, low fees, and maturing ecosystem that empowers global freelance work, creative markets, and micro-earning platforms.
In this blog post, we will critically discuss how Solana fits into the side hustle landscape in Malaysia and why it may be a useful tool for those hoping to earn more from home.
Solana's Role in Digital Earning
Solana is not just a moniker on a cryptocurrency chart. It's a speedy, power-sipping blockchain built to process thousands of transactions per second. What's beneficial for side hustlers is how cheap and how fast you can transfer money, and how simple it is to begin without having to be deep-technical experts.
In brief: less wait, cheaper, and more streamlined. That's important when you're dealing in small sums or getting paid regularly for online work.
Another benefit is Solana's international accessibility. If you're freelance working for a client abroad, you may discover that receiving payment in crypto, particularly SOL, is faster and more secure than working with international banking. Naturally, everyone still thinks in Ringgit, so looking at the SOL to USD conversion rate can assist with planning when and how you need to cash out your pay into local currency.
1. Freelancing with Crypto: A Simple Entry Point
Freelancing is already common ground for most Malaysians. The only twist here is that some employers and platforms are now accepting payments in crypto.
Authors, editors, programmers, designers, and virtual assistants are all able to find online work paying in digital currencies. Although not all projects will pay in Solana directly, some clients are amenable to it, particularly within the expanding blockchain and Web3 sectors.
Let's say you're a freelance illustrator based in Shah Alam. You connect with a client overseas who wants to pay in SOL. With a digital wallet and a basic agreement in place, you can complete your project and receive payment directly. No banking delays, no high transfer fees.
It's a fast, borderless way to get paid for your skills.
2. Turning Creativity into Income with NFTs
For creative Malaysians (painters, photographers, digital designers, etc.), NFTs offer a new path to monetise artwork. In contrast to standard prints or computer downloads, NFTs are one-of-a-kind, trackable, and interchangeable.
Solana is a go-to platform for NFTs since it is cheap. Minting an NFT on some blockchains can be expensive, but Solana is extremely cheap, and this is wonderful for new artists who do not wish to spend money in the first place.
If you have digital work ready, you can use a Solana-based marketplace to mint and list it. Buyers from anywhere in the world can pay in SOL, and you receive the funds instantly. The whole process removes middlemen, galleries, or seller fees, which gives creators more control over their earnings.
For many local artists, NFTs have become more than a trend. They're a way to reach new audiences and earn from passion projects.
3. Micro-Earning Apps and Light Tasks
Not every side hustle needs to be a big project. Some are small and steady. Solana supports several micro-earning platforms-apps that pay you in crypto for doing minor tasks.
These might be walking, social media posting, completing tasks, or simply playing games. While these are small rewards, discipline can ensure the balance gets built up over time.
For students with spare time between classes, or parents wishing to earn during quiet periods, such platforms may represent a no-stress means of delving into crypto and earning simultaneously.
4. Staking Solana: Quiet Earnings in the Background
If you already hold SOL, there's another way to make it work for you-staking. This means locking your tokens into the network to help it run smoothly. In return, you earn small rewards over time.
It's not a job in the traditional sense. There's no work to submit, no emails to answer. But for those who believe in Solana's long-term future, staking is a peaceful way to earn passively while keeping your investment active.
It's especially appealing for those who want to "set it and forget it" while still benefiting from the growth of the crypto ecosystem.
What Malaysians Should Know Before Starting
Diving into crypto income opportunities takes a bit of preparation. Following are a few of the most important tips to remember:
- Begin slow. Learn the foundation of Solana and the workings of wallets before taking in any payments.
- Be safe. Prevent scams by dealing with established platforms or individuals. Never give your wallet's recovery phrase.
- Keep track. Record your earnings and expenses. This will help with financial planning and future conversions.
- Watch policy changes. While Malaysia currently doesn't tax crypto gains for individuals, this could change. Stay informed.
Photo source: depositphotos.com
