Why did the price of SUI go up?

Sui (SUI) increased by 1.24% in the last 24 hours, slightly outperforming the overall crypto market, which rose by 0.68%. This growth is driven by new institutional staking options through Coinbase Prime and positive technical indicators.

1. Institutional Staking Expansion – Coinbase Prime now allows institutions to stake SUI.
2. Ecosystem Growth – New decentralized finance (DeFi) tools and partnerships are enhancing SUI’s network.
3. Technical Rebound – A bullish signal from the MACD indicator suggests short-term upward momentum.

Deep Dive

1. Institutional Staking Access (Positive Outlook)

Overview:
On October 28, Coinbase Prime teamed up with Figment to let institutional investors stake SUI directly on their platform (CoinGape). This makes it easier for large investors to participate, removing previous challenges related to asset custody and management.

What this means:

• Increased demand: Institutions can now earn rewards on SUI without moving their tokens off Coinbase’s secure platform, reducing barriers.
• Reduced supply: Staking locks tokens, which means fewer are available for trading, potentially supporting the price. Currently, about 36% of SUI’s total supply is in circulation, and more staking could limit liquidity further.

What to watch:

• The rate of staking participation after this integration, which can be tracked at SuiVision.

2. Ecosystem Momentum (Mixed Signals)

Overview:

• DeFi growth: Sui’s total value locked (TVL) reached $2.2 billion in July 2025, with decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume up 250% year-over-year.
• Bitcoin-focused DeFi (BTCFi): Platforms like Babylon and Lombard have brought $300 million worth of Bitcoin into Sui’s ecosystem, making it a growing hub for Bitcoin-based DeFi.
• Upcoming token unlock: On November 1, $108 million worth of SUI tokens (about 1.2% of the market cap) will become available, which could create short-term selling pressure.

What this means:

• Positive: The expanding DeFi and BTCFi activities show increasing real-world use and interest in SUI.
• Caution: Token unlocks often lead to price volatility in the short term.

3. Technical Signals (Short-Term Bullish)

Overview:

• MACD indicator: Recently showed a bullish crossover, indicating growing buying momentum after a period of sideways price movement.
• RSI (Relative Strength Index): At 42.7, it suggests the asset is neither overbought nor oversold.
• Resistance level: $2.64 is a key price point to watch, based on Fibonacci retracement analysis.

What this means:
Traders are responding to the positive MACD signal, but for the price to continue rising, it needs to break above $2.64. If it fails, the price could pull back to around $2.32, another important support level.

Conclusion

Sui’s recent price increase is driven by easier institutional staking access, growing ecosystem activity, and encouraging technical signals. While the token unlock on November 1 could cause short-term volatility, the Coinbase Prime partnership may create lasting demand. Key point to watch: Whether SUI can stay above $2.64 after the unlock to confirm a continued upward trend.

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What could affect the price of SUI?

Sui’s price is currently caught between growing interest in decentralized finance (DeFi) and concerns about new tokens entering the market.

1. Token Unlocks (Bearish) – On November 1, $108 million worth of SUI tokens will become available, which could put downward pressure on the price.
2. Institutional Adoption (Bullish) – ETF applications and Coinbase’s new staking options for Sui suggest increasing demand.
3. DeFi Growth (Mixed) – Total value locked (TVL) in Sui’s DeFi ecosystem is recovering but faces stiff competition from platforms like Solana and Aptos.

Deep Dive

1. Token Unlocks & Supply Dynamics (Bearish Impact)

Overview:
On November 1, 2025, Sui will unlock $108.14 million worth of tokens, representing about 1.21% of all tokens currently circulating. Past unlock events, such as the $119 million unlock in October 2025, have been linked to price drops between 8% and 15%.

What this means:
If demand doesn’t keep up with the new tokens entering the market, selling pressure could increase, pushing prices down. Historical trends show SUI tends to weaken during major unlock periods (Coinspeaker).

2. Institutional Demand & ETF Progress (Bullish Impact)

Overview:

• The 21Shares/Nasdaq SUI ETF is currently under review by the SEC, with a decision expected in early 2026.
• Coinbase Prime has added Sui staking options, attracting more institutional investors.

What this means:
If the ETF is approved, it could trigger a rally similar to what Bitcoin experienced in 2024 after its ETF launch. Additionally, staking growth—already over $2 billion locked through providers like Figment—reduces the number of tokens available for trading, which can support prices. However, any delays in ETF approval could dampen investor enthusiasm (The Block).

3. DeFi Competition & BTCfi Growth (Mixed Impact)

Overview:
Sui’s DeFi ecosystem has seen its total value locked (TVL) rise to $3.05 billion, a 70% increase month-over-month. This growth is largely driven by BTCfi protocols like Lombard, which holds $1.1 billion in Bitcoin liquidity. However, competitors such as Solana and Aptos are gaining ground, especially in stablecoin trading volumes.

What this means:
The growing BTCfi segment (about 10% of Sui’s TVL) could help Sui stand out. Still, competition from rivals with strong ETF momentum, like Solana, poses a challenge. Upcoming upgrades like Sui’s Mysticeti v2, which promises faster transaction processing, may improve scalability and help maintain its edge (Crypto Briefing).

Conclusion

Sui’s price outlook depends on how well it balances the pressure from token unlocks with growing institutional interest and DeFi innovation. Short-term price swings are expected, but approval of the ETF or continued growth in TVL above $3 billion could spark a significant price increase.

Key metric to watch: After the November 1 unlock, if SUI’s exchange reserves fall below 100 million tokens, it would indicate strong demand absorbing the new supply.

What are people saying about SUI?

The Sui community is divided between optimistic believers and cautious skeptics. Here’s what’s currently making waves:

1. ETF hopes face token unlock concerns – $108 million worth of SUI tokens will unlock on November 1
2. Google partnership sparks excitement around AI-powered payments
3. Institutional interest grows – Swiss bank custody services and a $450 million treasury reserve backing
4. Ecosystem growth raises centralization worries following a $220 million hack

In-Depth Look

1. Google Partnership Boosts AI Payments Optimism

"Agentic Payments Protocol with Google could let AI bots transact autonomously"
– @SuiCommunity (284K followers · 1.2M impressions · Sept 19, 2025)
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What this means: This collaboration puts SUI at the forefront of combining artificial intelligence with decentralized finance (DeFi). It could enable AI-powered agents to make transactions on their own, opening up new possibilities for automated financial services.

2. $108 Million Token Unlock Raises Concerns

"43.96 million SUI tokens ($108 million) will unlock on Nov 1 – about 1.21% of total supply entering circulation"
– Coinspeaker (Market analysis · Oct 27, 2025)
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What this means: Historically, token unlocks often lead to price drops between 4-7%. Traders are watching the $3.75 price level closely; if it breaks, it could trigger a wave of sell-offs.

3. Growing Institutional Interest with Mixed Reactions

"AMINA Bank now offers custody for SUI, and Mill City has allocated 98% of its $450 million treasury to SUI"
– BanklessHQ (589K followers · 2.8M impressions · May 20, 2025)
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What this means: While institutional adoption is a positive sign, some worry about concentration risk since three entities now hold 23% of the circulating supply. This could impact decentralization and market stability.

4. Post-Hack Trust Issues Remain Neutral

"The $220 million Cetus hack in May still affects confidence – 37% of surveyed developers call it ‘decentralization theater’"
– Phemex Academy (Security report · May 23, 2025)
View original post
What this means: Although 73% of the stolen funds were recovered, the incident exposed centralized control points in the network’s validator system. This raises ongoing questions about Sui’s decentralization and long-term trustworthiness.

Conclusion

Opinions on SUI are mixed. Institutional investments and tech partnerships bring optimism, but upcoming token unlocks and lingering doubts from the hack create caution. Watch the $3.75 price support level as the November 1 unlock approaches—a hold here could signal strength, while a drop might test $3.30. Meanwhile, the success of the Google AI integration will depend on how quickly developers adopt it, which you can track through Sui’s new Agent Activity Dashboard.

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What is the latest news about SUI?

Sui is navigating growing interest from big investors and uncertainty around ETFs, with new partnerships and upcoming token releases on the horizon.

1. Coinbase Adds Sui Staking (October 28, 2025) – Coinbase Prime now lets institutions stake SUI, expanding access.
2. ETF Delays Cause Outflows (October 27, 2025) – SEC delays on Solana and Cardano ETFs led to $8.5 million in SUI withdrawals.
3. $119 Million in Tokens Unlock Soon (November 1, 2025) – Nearly 44 million SUI tokens worth $119 million will become available.
4. Sygnum Bank Supports SUI (August 8, 2025) – Swiss bank offers custody, trading, and staking services for institutional clients.

Deep Dive

1. Coinbase Adds Sui Staking (October 28, 2025)

What happened: Coinbase Prime and Figment have included Sui in their staking services for institutional investors. This means clients can now stake SUI alongside other popular coins like Solana and Cardano directly through Coinbase’s secure platform. Since 2024, over $2 billion in assets have been staked through this partnership.
Why it matters: This is a positive sign for SUI, showing growing trust from big investors. Staking helps secure the network and can earn rewards, encouraging more people to lock up their tokens. Currently, about 5.27% of all SUI tokens are staked. However, new financial products like staking derivatives (for example, oSUI) might reduce buying pressure on the token.
(The Block)

2. ETF Delays Cause Outflows (October 27, 2025)

What happened: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has delayed decisions on spot ETFs (exchange-traded funds) for Solana and Cardano. This uncertainty caused investors to pull $8.5 million worth of SUI out of the market last week. SUI-specific ETFs have also been delayed, with Canary Capital’s application postponed until July 2026.
Why it matters: This is a short-term negative for SUI, as investors shift funds to more established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum amid regulatory concerns. Still, SUI’s presence in European exchange-traded products (ETPs), which hold $317 million in assets, helps soften the impact.
(CoinGape)

3. $119 Million in Tokens Unlock Soon (November 1, 2025)

What happened: On November 1, nearly 44 million SUI tokens, valued at $119 million based on a price of $2.61, will become available to holders. This represents about 1.21% of all circulating tokens. SUI tokens unlock daily in a steady, linear fashion, averaging around $100 million worth.
Why it matters: This event could put some downward pressure on SUI’s price if demand doesn’t keep up. Exchange reserves are still relatively low at about 13% of the total supply, which helps limit selling pressure. Traders are watching SUI’s 30-day price volatility of 2.7% for signs of a breakout or breakdown.
(Coinspeaker)

4. Sygnum Bank Supports SUI (August 8, 2025)

What happened: Swiss-based Sygnum Bank has started offering custody, trading, and staking services for SUI to institutional clients. This move is backed by a $450 million treasury partnership with Nasdaq-listed Mill City Ventures.
Why it matters: This is a strong long-term positive for SUI, as regulated banking services can bring stability and attract more institutional investors. Sygnum’s upcoming Lombard loans (expected in Q4 2025) might encourage large holders to keep their tokens rather than sell.
(Binance News)

Conclusion

Sui is balancing growing interest from big investors like Coinbase and Sygnum with challenges like ETF delays and upcoming token unlocks. The price range between $2.50 and $2.60 will be key to watch as November’s unlock approaches. The big question is whether staking rewards and growth in Bitcoin-related finance (BTCfi) can offset the potential selling pressure.

What is expected in the development of SUI?

Sui’s roadmap is focused on growing its technology and community by improving infrastructure, making developer tools easier to use, and connecting with other blockchain networks.

1. Native Bridge Expansion (Q4 2025) – Expanding secure, trustless connections beyond Ethereum to other blockchains.
2. Move Language Upgrades (Q4 2025) – Simplifying smart contract coding and adding AI-powered debugging tools.
3. SuiPlay Gaming Ecosystem (2026) – Partnering with over 100 game studios to bring blockchain gaming to more players.
4. Walrus Decentralized Storage (2026) – Offering secure, programmable data storage solutions for businesses.

Deep Dive

1. Native Bridge Expansion (Q4 2025)

Overview:
Sui’s bridge that connects to Ethereum, launched in early Q3 2025, will soon support other blockchains like Solana and BNB Chain. This upgrade aims to make cross-chain transactions 40% faster and add advanced security features called zk-proofs.

What this means:
This is a positive development for SUI because it could bring more users and funds from other blockchain communities. However, delays in security checks or competition from other bridge projects like LayerZero might slow down adoption.

2. Move Language Upgrades (Q4 2025)

Overview:
Following the Move 2024 update, Sui plans to make the Move programming language easier to use by simplifying its syntax and introducing Bugdar, an AI-powered tool that helps find bugs automatically. They are also testing a “Move Registry” to better organize and manage software packages.

What this means:
This is somewhat positive; making development easier could encourage more apps to be built on Sui. But existing projects might face challenges when updating their code to the new system.

3. SuiPlay Gaming Ecosystem (2026)

Overview:
SuiPlay 0X1, a new handheld gaming device, will feature over 70 games by 2026. Big game studios like Ubisoft and RECRD are partnering to create tokenized in-game items using Sui’s unique object model.

What this means:
This could be very promising if enough players adopt the platform. However, the value of gaming tokens can be unstable, and competition from other blockchain gaming platforms like Immutable could be tough.

4. Walrus Decentralized Storage (2026)

Overview:
Walrus v2 will add encryption and flexible access controls, aiming to serve businesses with secure data storage needs. New SEAL modules will help meet privacy laws like GDPR, with early testing in healthcare and supply chain industries.

What this means:
This is a neutral development; while it broadens what Sui can offer, success depends on clear regulations around storing data on blockchains.

Conclusion

Sui’s roadmap balances important technical improvements (like bridges and Move language upgrades) with efforts to grow its ecosystem (gaming and data storage). The key to success will be capturing cross-chain liquidity and avoiding delays in critical areas like regulated data storage. The big question is whether Sui’s infrastructure investments will help it outperform other Layer 1 blockchains in 2026.

What updates are there in the SUI code base?

Sui’s latest updates show strong progress in security, scalability, and developer tools.

1. Testnet Security & New Features (June 29, 2025) – Added mandatory TLS encryption and introduced "Party" objects for DeFi and gaming applications.
2. Mainnet Congestion Control (June 17, 2025) – Improved how transactions are handled during busy network times.
3. Move VM 2.0 Speed Boost (May 20, 2025) – Made transaction processing 30–65% faster.

Deep Dive

1. Testnet Security & New Features (June 29, 2025)

What happened: Sui’s testnet version 1.51.2 now requires TLS encryption for validator communications, making the network more secure. It also introduced experimental "Party" objects, which allow developers to create more complex transaction types, like multi-signature approvals or conditional asset transfers. Additionally, improvements to developer tools have cut the time needed to set up Move projects by 30–50%.

Why it matters: Stronger security for validators means the network is safer from attacks. The new "Party" objects open up possibilities for innovative DeFi and gaming applications. These changes make Sui more attractive to developers and users alike. (Source)

2. Mainnet Congestion Control (June 17, 2025)

What happened: The mainnet update version 1.50.1 introduced dynamic congestion control and built-in protection against denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. This helps the network stay stable and responsive during periods of heavy use.

Why it matters: While this update doesn’t immediately change user experience, it improves reliability during busy times. This stability is important for attracting larger, institutional users who need consistent performance.

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

What happened: The Move Virtual Machine (VM) 2.0 upgrade significantly sped up transaction processing by 30–65%. It does this by running multiple non-conflicting transactions at the same time, thanks to Sui’s unique object-centric design.

Why it matters: Faster transactions mean less waiting time for users and better performance for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. This positions Sui as a strong competitor among Layer 1 blockchains focused on speed and efficiency. (Source)

Conclusion

Sui’s recent updates focus on making the network more secure, scalable, and faster. Features like mandatory TLS encryption and congestion control improve reliability, while the Move VM 2.0 upgrade boosts speed. The introduction of "Party" objects on the testnet hints at future capabilities that could make Sui’s transactions more flexible and powerful. These advancements could help Sui compete with major blockchains like Ethereum and Solana in the DeFi and gaming spaces.