In the bustling world of blockchain technology, Sui stands out as a truly distinctive network. Many project founders within its ecosystem highlight one key reason for choosing Sui: it has a clear and unwavering development direction, something not all public chains can claim.
One developer, who has been building on Sui for nearly two years, shared this insight: "The Move language used in Sui feels like it comes from a major tech company—it’s well-structured and standardized, which lowers the barrier for beginners. Developers find it easier to learn." This is just one of Sui’s many defining features.
Through numerous conversations, it becomes evident that Sui’s unique characteristics and style manifest in various ways—attributes that set it apart from other blockchains. For instance, Sui provides grants in US dollars rather than its native token; it enstrict brand separation between itself and grant recipients; and it demonstrates a strong, focused commitment to expanding into the gaming sector.
These deliberate choices make Sui a truly unique public blockchain in the crypto industry.
A Surge of Growth and Attention
Starting in September, both the price of SUI tokens and the Total Value Locked (TVL) on the network saw significant increases, capturing widespread attention across the crypto space. In just one month, Sui’s TVL surged from $600 million to over $1 billion—nearly doubling. Meanwhile, the token price rose from around $0.80 to over $2.00 in little more than a month, marking a peak increase of nearly threefold. This rapid growth has led some industry observers to dub Sui a "Solana killer."
What is driving this rapid appreciation? Who is behind the capital push? How does Sui differ from other blockchains, and what innovative applications is it fostering? Is Sui’s growth a sustainable long-term trend or merely short-term speculation?
After speaking with multiple founders and builders within the Sui ecosystem, some answers begin to emerge.
Key Characteristics That Set Sui Apart
Sui distinguishes itself through several core features that reflect its unique philosophy and strategic approach.
A Focused Approach to Gaming
One of Sui’s most prominent characteristics is its dedicated focus on the gaming industry. Adeniyi Abiodun, a co-founder of Sui, emphasized this in a recent interview: "We chose gaming because it is often an early adopter of new technology, driving advances in AI and high-performance computing. Sui is focused on solving ownership issues in gaming, and has successfully attracted a large number of developers."
This includes major studios such as South Korea’s Nhan Net, Marble, FNC, and NCSoft. Currently, about 75 publishers are developing applications on Sui—a significant increase from the 30 studios building on the network just a year ago.
Evan Cheng, CEO of Mysten Labs (the company behind Sui), has also consistently highlighted initiatives like the SuiPlay gaming device in interviews and on social media. Recently, both SuiPlay and leading Sui meme token FUD have promised rewards and airdrops for device holders, further cementing Sui’s commitment to this vertical.
Uncompromising Compliance Standards
In an industry known for its decentralized and permissionless culture, Sui stands out for its strong emphasis on compliance. One industry insider close to Mysten Labs noted that the company’s internal compliance processes are exceptionally rigorous, reminiscent of a traditional Web2 corporation.
Another entrepreneur in the Sui ecosystem shared: "I was really surprised that Sui gives grants in U.S. dollars instead of SUI tokens. The process involves complex documentation, KYC checks, and account verifications—it often takes a long time to receive the grant."
This focus on regulatory adherence is a recurring theme among those building on Sui. This approach may be closely tied to Sui’s broader strategy. As one developer put it: "For projects officially recognized by Sui—like Cetus and Scallop—you don’t have to worry about exit scams. Sui has their back."
This stands in stark contrast to the approaches of other chains. For example, Blast explicitly states that it is not responsible for any issues within its ecosystem. Sui and Blast represent two extremes: one fully decentralized and hands-off, the other highly involved and compliant.
👉 Explore advanced blockchain strategies
Strategic Partnerships with Web2 Institutions
Sui’s compliance-focused and institutional-friendly approach reflects a third major characteristic: a strategic intent to partner with large Web2 organizations to drive mass adoption. Major traditional institutions are often unwilling to associate with projects that have compliance issues or reputational risks.
This also explains why Sui and its founders rarely engage in meme coin culture—a common practice among chains like Solana and Base. By avoiding behaviors that might be seen as questionable by traditional players, Sui preserves its ability to form partnerships with major enterprises.
Regional Growth and Developer Dynamics
Sui aims to be a compliant blockchain in the U.S. while deepening collaborations with leading global gaming companies. Interestingly, however, many of the top DeFi projects on Sui are led by Chinese entrepreneurs.
Chen, a builder in the Sui ecosystem, observed: "70% to 80% of DeFi projects on Sui are founded by Chinese entrepreneurs." He believes this may be due to Sui’s clear direction—when a system has well-defined goals, Chinese teams often outperform in terms of speed and execution.
Chen also compared Sui to other Move-based blockchains. More than 20 blockchains use the Move language, but the three most prominent—Aptos, Sui, and Linera—are all founded by former Facebook developers. Among these, Sui and Aptos are the two leaders competing for dominance.
"From my perspective," Chen noted, "Sui’s official updates often focus on technical and product improvements, while Aptos tends to emphasize events and activities. That’s one small but interesting difference."
Although Sui’s explicit focus is on gaming and Web2 partnerships, non-gaming developers like Chen still express strong confidence in the network. The clarity and consistency of Sui’s vision—avoiding scattered or erratic strategic shifts—provide a stable environment for builders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sui Blockchain?
Sui is a high-performance, decentralized blockchain designed for scalability and low-latency transactions. It uses the Move programming language and focuses on use cases like gaming and institutional applications through a compliance-friendly approach.
Why is Sui considered unique?
Sui differentiates itself through its focused strategy on gaming, strong compliance standards, grants in U.S. dollars, and intent to partner with Web2 enterprises. These elements collectively make it stand out from other blockchains.
How does Sui’s compliance focus benefit users?
By enforcing rigorous standards, Sui reduces the risk of scams and fraudulent projects. Users can interact with officially endorsed applications with greater confidence, making the ecosystem more secure and reliable.
What is Sui’s approach to developer grants?
Unlike many chains that grant native tokens, Sui provides funding in U.S. dollars. The process includes thorough KYC and documentation checks, reflecting its alignment with traditional business practices.
Is Sui only focused on gaming?
While gaming is a primary focus, Sui also supports DeFi, NFTs, and other applications. Its scalable infrastructure and clear development roadmap make it attractive to a broad range of builders.
How does Sui compare to Aptos?
Both use the Move language and have shared origins, but Sui emphasizes technical upgrades and gaming partnerships, while Aptos often highlights community events and broader ecosystem activities.
Sui’s focused development strategy—prioritizing DeFi in its first year, pursuing Web2 partnerships, advancing gaming solutions, and maintaining high compliance—makes it a unique and compelling player in the blockchain space. Its clarity of purpose and builder-friendly environment continue to attract developers and enterprises alike.