Why did the price of SUI go up?

Sui (SUI) increased by 1.4% in the last 24 hours, continuing its positive trend over the past week with an 11.7% gain. However, it slightly underperformed compared to Bitcoin, which rose by 1.2%. The main factors behind this movement include:

1. Technical Breakout – SUI surpassed the $3.71 resistance level (based on Fibonacci retracement) with strong momentum indicators like MACD and RSI signaling bullish strength.
2. Institutional Adoption – Sygnum Bank started offering custody and trading services for SUI on August 8, boosting confidence.
3. Ecosystem Growth – New decentralized finance (DeFi) projects and partnerships with other blockchains are attracting more investment.

Deep Dive

1. Technical Momentum (Positive Outlook)

Overview:
SUI broke above the $3.71 resistance level and is trading above important moving averages (7-day average at $3.60 and 30-day average at $3.50). The MACD indicator turned positive (+0.06), showing increasing buying momentum, while the RSI (Relative Strength Index) at 61.7 suggests the coin is not yet overbought.

What this means:
This breakout indicates that traders expect the price to continue rising, especially since SUI has returned to the price range it held in May 2025. There is significant trading activity around $3.80, which could lead to more price swings if buying continues.

What to watch:
If SUI stays above $3.80, it could aim for $4.10 next. But if it falls below $3.71, some investors might sell, pushing the price down toward $3.50 support.

2. Institutional & Ecosystem Developments (Mixed Effects)

Overview:
Sygnum Bank’s launch of custody, staking, and lending services for SUI on August 8 (Sygnum) helped push the price up by 8.6%. Additionally, partnerships like NEAR Protocol’s cross-chain swaps (July 17) have increased SUI’s usefulness.

What this means:
Having institutional investors use regulated custody services tends to reduce selling pressure because tokens are held securely. However, the recent 24-hour price increase is smaller compared to July’s 35% rally, which was driven by record-high total value locked (TVL) in DeFi projects ($2.2 billion) and speculation about an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

What to watch:
Keep an eye on the progress of 21Shares’ SUI ETF application (awaiting NASDAQ approval) and TVL trends on DefiLlama.

Conclusion

SUI’s recent price rise is supported by strong technical signals and growing institutional interest. However, its future momentum will depend on continued growth in DeFi projects and clearer regulatory guidance. Key point to watch: Whether SUI can maintain levels above $3.80 to challenge its next resistance at $4.34 (Fibonacci 161.8%) amid shifting interest in alternative cryptocurrencies.

What could affect the price of SUI?

Sui’s price is influenced by strong growth in its ecosystem but also faces risks from token unlocks and centralization concerns.

1. DeFi Growth – Total value locked (TVL) reaches $2.33 billion, with increasing use of Bitcoin-backed DeFi (BTCfi).
2. Institutional Interest – ETF filings underway and $332 million held in corporate reserves.
3. Token Unlocks – $193 million worth of tokens set to unlock by August 2025, raising supply concerns.

In-Depth Analysis

1. DeFi & BTCfi Growth (Positive for SUI)

Summary:
As of July 2025, Sui’s DeFi platforms have locked up $2.33 billion in assets, led by projects like Suilend ($675 million) and NAVI ($534 million). Bitcoin-backed DeFi (BTCfi) now makes up 10% of this total, helped by integrations such as tBTC and OKX’s xBTC, which bring Bitcoin liquidity to the Sui network (BanklessHQ).

Why it matters:
More DeFi activity means the network is useful and attracts investment. However, relying on BTCfi also means SUI’s value can be affected by Bitcoin’s price swings. If TVL stays above $2 billion, it could help SUI weather broader market downturns.

2. Corporate Reserves & ETF Developments (Mixed Outlook)

Summary:
SUI Group Holdings holds 101.79 million SUI tokens, worth about $332 million, similar to how MicroStrategy holds Bitcoin as a reserve. Meanwhile, 21Shares, a Nasdaq-listed company, has filed for a SUI ETF, with the SEC expected to decide by January 2026. Canary Capital’s ETF proposal previously caused a 53% price jump (Bitget).

Why it matters:
Holding large reserves reduces the number of tokens available on the market, which can support prices. But if ETF approvals are delayed or denied, it could lead to selling pressure. Institutional interest is a positive sign but depends heavily on regulatory decisions.

3. Token Unlocks & Centralization Concerns (Potential Challenges)

Summary:
On August 1, 2025, 44 million SUI tokens worth $193 million will unlock. This is part of a schedule releasing about 55 million tokens each month through 2030. Additionally, validators froze funds during a $200 million Cetus hack, raising questions about how decentralized the network really is (CoinMarketCap).

Why it matters:
Token unlocks can increase supply and cause short-term price drops if demand doesn’t keep up. The ability of validators to freeze funds may worry users who prefer fully decentralized systems, although quick recovery after the hack helped calm concerns.

Conclusion

Sui’s price is balancing strong growth in its DeFi ecosystem with risks from token unlocks and centralization issues. Key factors to watch include the SEC’s decision on ETFs and whether Bitcoin-backed DeFi inflows can outpace new token supply. SUI’s technical strengths—like fast transaction finality (400ms) and high throughput (297,000 transactions per second)—could help it win over skeptics before competitors catch up.

What are people saying about SUI?

The Sui (SUI) community is divided between excitement over potential growth and concerns about upcoming token releases. Here’s what’s trending right now:

1. ETF filings are boosting hopes for more institutional investment
2. $5 price targets are gaining attention thanks to positive chart signals
3. Token unlocks are raising worries about increased selling pressure

Deep Dive

1. @BanklessHQ: Sui’s ecosystem reaches new milestones (positive sign)

"BTCfi now 10% of Sui’s TVL [...] Mysticeti v2 cuts finality to 400ms [...] 1M daily gaming users on RECRDapp"
– BanklessHQ (May 20, 2025, 2:48 PM UTC)
View original post
What this means: This is good news for SUI. Improvements in the network’s infrastructure and growing activity in BTCfi (Bitcoin finance) and decentralized finance (DeFi) show that the platform is becoming more useful. Plus, ETF filings by companies like 21Shares and Canary Capital suggest that big investors are taking notice.

2. @mkbijaksana: Chart pattern points to $4 price target (optimistic)

"Bouncing from 3.3094 level [...] test 21 EMA daily"
– @mkbijaksana (August 27, 2025, 2:32 AM UTC)
View original post
What this means: Technical traders see a pattern that suggests SUI’s price could rise toward $4.20. The Relative Strength Index (RSI), which measures if an asset is overbought or oversold, is cooling down from a high level, indicating the price might have room to grow.

3. Community post: $77 million in tokens unlocking this week (potentially negative)

"If $SUI stays above $2.56, might rebound [...] drop could slide toward $1.65"
– CoinMarketCap community (August 19, 2025, 7:23 AM UTC)
View original post
What this means: This could be a warning sign for SUI. Large amounts of tokens ($162 million in August) are becoming available for sale, which might increase selling pressure and push the price down. Data from derivatives markets shows traders are reducing their bets, possibly to protect themselves from price drops.

Conclusion

Opinions on SUI are mixed. On one hand, upgrades like Mysticeti v2 and growing BTCfi use suggest strong long-term potential. On the other hand, the upcoming token unlocks could cause short-term price drops. The key level to watch is $4.20 — if SUI can break through this resistance, it may signal further gains. Keep an eye on ETF developments and how the market handles the token unlocks this week.

What is the latest news about SUI?

Sui is benefiting from strong institutional interest but is facing mixed technical signals. Here’s the latest update:

1. Bearish Market Signal (September 8, 2025) – INDODAX flagged SUI as bearish, noting a downward trend since August.
2. Corporate Reserve Changes (September 8, 2025) – Lion Group shifted its $SUI holdings into HYPE Coin, which recently hit record highs.
3. Ecosystem Growth (September 6, 2025) – MEXC highlighted SUI’s 22% year-to-date growth in gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi) adoption.

In-Depth Look

1. Bearish Market Signal (September 8, 2025)

Summary:
INDODAX’s weekly technical report marked SUI as bearish, pointing out a steady decline since August 24. If this trend continues, SUI might test support levels between 50,000 and 55,000 Indonesian Rupiah (about $3.10 to $3.40).

What this means:
This suggests traders should be cautious in the short term, as the technical indicators show weakness that could lead to a period of price stability or decline. However, SUI’s price actually rose 11% last week despite this bearish outlook, indicating that broader positive market factors might outweigh these technical signals. (INDODAX)

2. Corporate Reserve Changes (September 8, 2025)

Summary:
Lion Group Holding moved some of its $SUI assets into HYPE Coin, following a strategy similar to MicroStrategy’s approach with Bitcoin. This shift happened as HYPE Coin surged 154% year-to-date, boosted by news about Nasdaq tokenization.

What this means:
This move doesn’t negatively impact SUI’s core value but shows that institutions are looking for higher-risk, higher-reward crypto investments. Lion Group’s decision appears to be a tactical move to take profits rather than a sign of losing confidence in SUI, especially since they still keep 20% of their crypto reserves in SUI. (Bitget)

3. Ecosystem Growth (September 6, 2025)

Summary:
MEXC highlighted SUI’s $12 billion market cap and a 3.64% weekly price increase. They pointed out SUI’s role in BTCfi (which accounts for 10% of total value locked), the fast finality of Mysticeti v2 (400 milliseconds), and partnerships with over 65 gaming studios.

What this means:
This confirms SUI’s position as a scalable Layer 1 blockchain that supports both DeFi and gaming applications. With stablecoin investments doubling to $1 billion since July, the growing infrastructure could help offset any negative technical trends over the long term. (MEXC)

Conclusion

SUI is currently balancing some bearish technical signals with strong ecosystem growth and institutional interest. While short-term price swings may continue, its integration with BTCfi and expanding gaming partnerships suggest there’s potential for growth. The key question is whether SUI’s flexible modular design can outperform market sentiment and avoid selloffs in the final quarter of the year.

What is expected in the development of SUI?

Sui’s roadmap is focused on improving its technology, making it easier for developers to build on, and growing real-world applications.

1. Mysticeti V2 & FastPath (Q4 2025) – Boosting transaction speed and network efficiency.
2. SEAL Encryption (2026) – Adding secure, programmable data protection.
3. SuiPlay 0X1 Expansion (2025–2026) – Growing the gaming platform and partnerships.
4. AI Agent Integration (2026) – Enabling smart, automated transactions on the network.

In-Depth Look

1. Mysticeti V2 & FastPath (Q4 2025)

What it is: Mysticeti V2 improves the way Sui processes transactions by reducing delays and making it easier for network validators to operate. FastPath allows multiple transactions to be processed at the same time, aiming for confirmation times under one second, even when the network is busy.
Why it matters: Faster and more efficient processing can attract more decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming projects to Sui. However, there’s a chance validators might take time to adopt these upgrades.

2. SEAL Encryption (2026)

What it is: SEAL adds encryption and access controls to Walrus, Sui’s decentralized storage system. This means users can control who accesses their data, such as unlocking NFT content only after purchase.
Why it matters: This feature improves privacy and security, which is especially important for industries like healthcare or intellectual property. Its success depends on how many developers use it.

3. SuiPlay 0X1 Expansion (2025–2026)

What it is: SuiPlay 0X1 is a handheld gaming device running on PLAYTR0N OS. The goal is to bring over 65 game studios and 70 games onto the platform by 2026, using Sui’s fast transaction speeds to support in-game economies.
Why it matters: If these partnerships happen, it could be a big win for Sui’s gaming ecosystem. However, competition from platforms like ImmutableX and Solana is strong.

4. AI Agent Integration (2026)

What it is: Sui plans to allow AI agents to perform transactions automatically, such as trading bots or decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governance tools. This will use Walrus for data storage and Mysticeti for speed.
Why it matters: This could make Sui a leader in AI-powered decentralized apps (dApps) over the long term. Still, there are risks like regulatory challenges around autonomous agents.

Conclusion

Sui’s roadmap for 2025–2026 combines important technical improvements with efforts to grow its ecosystem, especially in gaming and AI. Features like AI agent integration and SEAL encryption could set Sui apart from other Layer 1 blockchains. The key question is whether Sui’s developer community can grow faster than competitors like Aptos or Solana.

What updates are there in the SUI code base?

In July 2025, Sui’s codebase received important updates focused on testnet security and developer tools.

1. Validator TLS Encryption (July 5, 2025) – Improved security for validator communications.
2. gRPC Beta Launch (July 24, 2025) – A faster, modern API replacing the older JSON-RPC system.
3. Move VM 2.0 Speed Boost (May 20, 2025) – Transaction processing is now 30–65% faster.

Deep Dive

1. Validator TLS Encryption (July 5, 2025)

Overview:
The testnet update (version 1.51.2) requires all validator nodes to use TLS encryption for their gRPC communications. This means data sent between validators is now securely encrypted, making it much harder for attackers to interfere or eavesdrop.

Validators also need to update their settings to use “requester-pays” storage buckets for syncing state data, which helps keep the network running smoothly and securely.

What this means:
This upgrade is a positive step for Sui, as it strengthens the network’s defenses and builds trust in its reliability. Developers testing on the network can now interact with nodes more safely.
(Source)

2. gRPC Beta Launch (July 24, 2025)

Overview:
Sui replaced its older JSON-RPC API with gRPC, a newer, faster communication protocol. gRPC supports real-time data streaming and works well with multiple programming languages like Rust, Go, and TypeScript.

Built on HTTP/2 and using Protocol Buffers, gRPC reduces delays and the size of data sent, which helps applications handle more users and data efficiently. This is especially useful for decentralized apps (dApps) like decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and games.

What this means:
This update is generally positive for Sui. It makes development smoother and prepares the network for future growth. However, developers might need some time to get used to the new tools.
(Source)

3. Move VM 2.0 Speed Boost (May 20, 2025)

Overview:
The Move VM 2.0 upgrade on the mainnet improved how transactions are processed, making them 30–65% faster. Additional features like Pilotfish for parallel execution and Remora for validator scaling further increased the network’s capacity.

These improvements support Sui’s growing decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming platforms by handling more transactions quickly and efficiently.

What this means:
Faster transaction speeds make Sui more user-friendly and competitive with other fast blockchains like Solana. This is a strong positive for the network’s growth.

Conclusion

Sui’s recent updates focus on improving security (TLS encryption), scalability (gRPC API), and speed (Move VM 2.0). These changes support Sui’s vision of becoming a modular, high-performance blockchain. The big question is whether these improvements will help Sui gain more users in DeFi and institutional sectors.