Table of Contents
What is Sui?
Sui is a Layer 1 blockchain developed by Mysten Labs, founded by former Meta (Facebook) engineers who worked on the Diem blockchain project. Launched in May 2023, Sui introduces a novel object-centric data model and uses the Move programming language to deliver unprecedented speed and developer experience.
Key Innovation
Sui's breakthrough is its object-centric model - instead of account-based state like Ethereum, everything on Sui is an object. Owned objects can be processed in parallel without consensus, enabling theoretical throughput of 297,000+ TPS.
Unlike traditional blockchains that process all transactions through global consensus, Sui can execute simple transactions (like token transfers) instantly without waiting for consensus. Only transactions involving shared objects require full consensus.
Object-Centric
Everything is an object. Owned objects skip consensus for instant finality.
Move Language
Resource-oriented programming prevents common smart contract bugs.
zkLogin
Login with Google, Apple, or Facebook. No seed phrases needed.
Move Programming Language
Sui uses the Move programming language, originally developed at Meta for the Diem blockchain. Move is a resource-oriented language where digital assets are first-class citizens that cannot be copied or implicitly discarded.
Move Language Features
Resource-Oriented Programming
Digital assets in Move are "resources" that cannot be copied, accidentally destroyed, or double-spent. The type system enforces these guarantees at compile time, preventing entire classes of bugs.
Formal Verification
Move supports formal verification through the Move Prover, allowing developers to mathematically prove their smart contracts behave correctly. This is critical for DeFi applications handling millions in value.
No Reentrancy Attacks
Unlike Solidity (Ethereum), Move's design makes reentrancy attacks impossible by construction. The borrow checker ensures safe resource handling, similar to Rust's safety guarantees.
Sui Move vs Standard Move
Sui uses its own variant of Move (Sui Move) that differs from the version used by Aptos. Key differences include:
- Object-centric global storage (vs account-based in standard Move)
- Object IDs as first-class citizens for direct addressing
- Programmable transaction blocks for composable operations
- Module initializers run once at publish time for setup
Move vs Solidity
While Solidity (Ethereum) allows developers to accidentally create vulnerabilities like reentrancy attacks, Move's ownership model makes such bugs impossible at the language level. This means fewer hacks and more secure DeFi protocols.
Object-Centric Data Model
Sui's most innovative feature is its object-centric data model. Instead of a global state tree like Ethereum, Sui organizes all data as independent objects that can be processed in parallel.
Sui Object-Centric Model
Everything on Sui is an object with unique ID, type, and owner
SUI Token
0x2::sui::SUI
NFT Asset
0x7::nft::CollectibleNFT
Fast Path: Owned objects skip consensus entirely. Transfers execute in ~390ms with just sender confirmation.
Owned Objects
Objects owned by a single address (tokens, NFTs). Transactions involving only owned objects skip consensus entirely, achieving near-instant finality (~390ms).
Shared Objects
Objects accessible by multiple users (DEX pools, governance). These require Narwhal/Bullshark consensus for ordering, but are still fast (~2-3 seconds).
Immutable Objects
Objects that can never be changed once created (published packages, frozen data). They can be referenced but never modified.
Wrapped Objects
Objects contained within other objects. They become part of their parent and are only accessible through the parent object's functions.
No Global State Bottleneck
Because Sui doesn't have a global state that every transaction must read from and write to, independent transactions can be processed in parallel without conflicting. This is fundamentally different from Ethereum, where even unrelated transactions must wait for their turn because they share the same world state.
Parallel Transaction Execution
Sui achieves massive throughput by processing transactions in parallel. Simple transactions involving owned objects bypass consensus entirely, while shared object transactions use the Narwhal & Bullshark consensus protocol.
TPS Comparison (Transactions Per Second)
Theoretical peak throughput across major blockchains
Sui achieves its high TPS by processing independent transactions in parallel without requiring global consensus, only using consensus for shared object transactions.
Fast Path (Simple Transactions)
When a transaction only involves owned objects (like sending SUI tokens), it takes the "fast path" - the transaction is validated by a Byzantine-consistent broadcast and committed without needing full consensus. This results in ~390ms finality.
Consensus Path (Shared Objects)
When transactions touch shared objects (like a DEX liquidity pool), they go through Narwhal (mempool) and Bullshark (consensus) for ordering. This ensures correctness when multiple users interact with the same object simultaneously.
Programmable Transaction Blocks (PTBs)
Sui's PTBs allow up to 1,024 operations to be bundled into a single transaction. For example, you could mint an NFT, list it on a marketplace, and set a royalty - all in one atomic transaction. This composability is unique to Sui and dramatically reduces gas costs for complex operations.
zkLogin & Account Abstraction
Sui pioneered zkLogin, allowing users to create blockchain accounts using their existing Google, Facebook, Apple, or Twitch credentials. No seed phrases, no wallet downloads - just sign in with OAuth and start using Web3.
How zkLogin Works
User signs in with Google/Apple
OAuth 2.0 authentication
JWT token is received from the provider
Standard OpenID Connect flow
A zero-knowledge proof is generated
Proves ownership without revealing identity
Transaction is submitted to Sui network
User signs transactions without seed phrases
No Seed Phrases
Users never see or manage 12/24 word seed phrases. Their blockchain identity is derived from their OAuth credentials, making onboarding as easy as "Sign in with Google".
Privacy Preserved
Zero-knowledge proofs ensure that the blockchain never learns which Google/Apple account is linked to a Sui address. Complete privacy is maintained while providing seamless authentication.
Sponsored Transactions
Apps can sponsor gas fees for their users, meaning new users can start interacting with the blockchain immediately without first buying SUI tokens. This removes a major friction point in Web3 onboarding.
Impact on Adoption
zkLogin is a game-changer for mainstream blockchain adoption. By eliminating seed phrases and wallet management, Sui apps can feel indistinguishable from regular web applications. Combined with sponsored transactions, developers can build apps where users never even know they're using a blockchain - the "invisible blockchain" experience that the industry has been striving for.
Sui Ecosystem
The Sui ecosystem has grown rapidly since mainnet launch, with over $800M in TVL across DeFi protocols, gaming platforms, and NFT marketplaces.
Cetus
DEX (CLMM)
Concentrated liquidity DEX
Navi Protocol
Lending
#1 lending on Sui
Scallop
Money Market
Institutional-grade lending
Turbos Finance
DEX
Concentrated liquidity
Aftermath
DeFi Suite
DEX + Staking + Yield
Bucket Protocol
Stablecoin
Sui-native stablecoin
DeFi Protocols
- Cetus - Leading concentrated liquidity DEX
- Navi Protocol - #1 lending with $200M+ TVL
- Scallop - Institutional-grade money market
- Turbos Finance - Concentrated liquidity + perps
Gaming & NFTs
- Sui8192 - Fully on-chain puzzle game
- Panzerdogs - PvP tank shooter with NFT tanks
- Clutchy - Premier NFT gaming platform
- SuiFrens - Official Sui ecosystem NFT mascots
SUI Tokenomics
SUI has a fixed maximum supply of 10 billion tokens. The token is used for gas fees, staking, and governance on the Sui network.
Gas Fees
SUI is used to pay for computation and storage on the network. Sui's gas mechanism features stable, predictable pricing through a reference gas price set by validators each epoch.
Staking & Security
Delegated Proof of Stake secures the network. SUI holders delegate tokens to validators, earning ~4.5% APY while contributing to network security.
Storage Fund
A portion of gas fees goes to Sui's storage fund, which subsidizes the cost of storing data on-chain over time. This ensures long-term sustainability and prevents state bloat.
Governance
SUI holders participate in on-chain governance decisions, voting on protocol parameters, validator set management, and network upgrades.
SUI Token Distribution
Staking SUI
SUI holders can stake their tokens with validators to earn rewards while securing the network. Current staking APY is approximately 4-5% with no lockup period.
Validator Network (100+ Validators)
Mysten Labs
Stake: 3.2%
Coinbase Cloud
Stake: 2.8%
OKX Earn
Stake: 2.1%
Figment
Stake: 1.9%
Chorus One
Stake: 1.5%
Sui validators earn staking rewards plus a share of gas fees. The gas fee subsidy mechanism redistributes storage fund earnings to stakers.
SUI Staking Calculator
≈ $1,500 USD
($67.50)
$1,567.5
* No lockup period - Sui staking is flexible. Rewards distributed every epoch (~24 hours). Gas fee subsidies available for stakers.
Native Validator Staking
Delegate SUI directly to validators through Sui Wallet. Rewards are distributed every epoch (~24 hours). No minimum stake required.
Liquid Staking (Aftermath, Haedal)
Get afSUI or haSUI tokens representing your staked SUI. Use these in DeFi while earning staking rewards.
How to Buy SUI
SUI is available on all major cryptocurrency exchanges. Here's how to get started.
Choose an Exchange
Binance, OKX, Bybit all support SUI. Use code TRADEOFF20 on Binance for 20% fee discount!
Complete Verification
Sign up and complete KYC verification. Most exchanges verify within minutes.
Deposit & Buy
Deposit fiat or crypto, then buy SUI. Use limit orders for better prices.
Transfer to Wallet
Withdraw to a Sui wallet (Sui Wallet, Suiet, Ethos) for staking, DeFi, or NFTs.
Buy SUI with 20% Off Trading Fees
Sign up on Binance with code TRADEOFF20 and get a lifetime 20% discount on all trading fees.
Get 20% OFF on BinanceUse code: TRADEOFF20
Sui vs Solana vs Aptos
How does Sui compare to other high-performance blockchains? Here's a detailed comparison of the three leading next-gen L1s.
| Metric | Sui | S Solana | A Aptos |
|---|---|---|---|
TPS (Theoretical) | 297,000+ | 65,000+ | 160,000 |
Finality | ~390ms | ~400ms | <1s |
Language | Move (Sui) | Rust/C | Move (Aptos) |
Consensus | Narwhal/Bullshark | PoH + Tower BFT | AptosBFT |
Avg Fee | ~$0.001 | $0.00025 | $0.001 |
Data Model | Object-centric | Account-based | Resource-based |
Ecosystem Maturity | Growing (2023) | Mature (2020) | Growing (2022) |
Sui Strengths
- Highest theoretical TPS
- zkLogin for Web2 onboarding
- Object model enables true parallelism
- Move language safety guarantees
Solana Strengths
- Most mature ecosystem & TVL
- Lowest fees ($0.00025)
- Largest developer community
- Firedancer upgrade for 1M+ TPS
Aptos Strengths
- Block-STM parallel execution
- Move language (account-based)
- On-chain upgrade mechanism
- Strong enterprise partnerships
Sui's Key Advantage
Sui's object-centric model enables true parallel execution without requiring all validators to process all transactions. Combined with zkLogin, Sui offers the most Web2-like onboarding experience of any blockchain.
Key Takeaways
Sui achieves 297,000+ TPS with ~390ms finality for simple transactions
Built by former Meta engineers using the Move programming language
Object-centric model enables true parallel execution without global state
zkLogin eliminates seed phrases - sign in with Google/Apple/Facebook
Stake SUI for ~4.5% APY with no lockup period and gas fee subsidies
Fast-growing ecosystem with Cetus, Navi, Scallop, and innovative gaming projects