By Zhou Zhou, Foresight News
"I chose Sui because it has a clear development direction, which not all public chains possess," multiple Sui project founders told me.
A developer who has been building on Sui for nearly two years commented: "The Move language used by Sui feels like a corporate-backed language—standardized and beginner-friendly, reducing the learning curve for developers." This is just one of Sui’s many distinctive features.
Through discussions, I observed that Sui’s差异化 (differentiated) characteristics manifest in several ways—many of which are absent in other blockchains. For example:
- Sui provides grants in USD instead of its native tokens.
- It enforces strict brand separation between grant recipients and the Sui Foundation.
- It demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing the gaming sector.
These traits make Sui a 'standout' chain in crypto.
On October 17, 2024, during the 10th Wanxiang Blockchain Summit in Shanghai, Sui hosted parallel offline events. Attending these gatherings deepened my understanding of Sui’s ecosystem.
Since September, Sui’s token price and TVL have surged, drawing widespread attention. In just a month:
- TVL jumped from $600M to $1B (nearly doubling).
- The token price rose from $0.8 to over $2 (a ~3x peak increase).
Some now call Sui the "Solana killer." But what’s driving this growth? Who are the backers? How does Sui differ from other chains?
Sui’s Unconventional Traits
Gaming Focus
- Adeniyi Abiodun (Mysten Labs co-founder) stated in a Grayscale interview:
"We chose gaming because it’s an early tech adopter, pushing AI and high-performance computing. Sui solves ownership issues in games, attracting developers like Korea’s NCSoft and Nhan Net." - Over 75 publishers now build on Sui, up from 30 a year ago.
- CEO Evan Cheng promotes SuiPlay (a gaming device) with rewards for holders.
- Adeniyi Abiodun (Mysten Labs co-founder) stated in a Grayscale interview:
Compliance Emphasis
- Mysten Labs’ internal processes mirror Web2 corporate rigor (KYC, lengthy grant approvals).
- Grants are disbursed in USD—unlike most chains using native tokens.
- One founder noted: "Sui-backed projects like Cetus or Scallop won’t rug—Sui ensures accountability."
Web2 Mass Adoption Strategy
- Targets partnerships with traditional giants (e.g., game studios).
- Avoids meme culture to maintain a "clean" reputation for enterprise collaborations.
👉 Explore Sui’s Gaming Ecosystem
Sui’s Niche: Compliant in the U.S., Thriving in Chinese Ecosystem
While Sui aims for U.S. compliance and global gaming alliances, its top DeFi projects (e.g., Cetus, Scallop) are predominantly led by Chinese founders (~70-80%).
Developer Chen explains:
- "Sui’s clarity attracts efficient Chinese builders."
- Contrasts with Aptos’ "event-heavy" approach vs. Sui’s technical updates.
Key differentiators:
- Year 1: DeFi focus.
- Future: Web2 partnerships.
- Gaming and compliance as core pillars.
FAQ
Q: Why is Sui’s grant system unique?
A: It uses USD instead of tokens and enforces strict compliance checks.
Q: How does Sui’s gaming strategy differ?
A: It collaborates with major studios (e.g., NCSoft) and develops hardware (SuiPlay).
Q: Is Sui’s growth sustainable?
A: Its compliance-first approach and Web2 alignment suggest long-term potential.