Sui has emerged as one of the most dynamic Layer 1 blockchains in 2025, outperforming many established networks with strong price momentum and rapidly expanding ecosystem activity. On November 11, its native token SUI hit an all-time high of $3.30, marking a remarkable turnaround from lows near $0.37 in previous years. With growing institutional interest, technological upgrades, and a surge in DeFi, GameFi, and meme projects, Sui is positioning itself as a key player in the next phase of blockchain innovation.
This article explores the factors behind Sui’s rise and highlights the most promising early-stage projects across its ecosystem—offering insight into where value may be forming next.
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Why Sui Is Gaining Momentum
After launching on exchanges in May 2023, SUI initially struggled to gain traction, dropping to around $0.37. However, the landscape shifted dramatically in late 2024 and into 2025. By March 2025, SUI had surged to $2.00—a 440% increase from its low—before correcting during broader market downturns.
The real breakout began in August 2025, when SUI posted weekly gains exceeding 140%. From a low of $0.74 in July, it climbed steadily through September and October, reaching $2.368 by early November. Following positive macro sentiment—including favorable regulatory developments and increased crypto adoption—SUI continued its ascent, peaking at $3.30.
Compared to other Layer 1 blockchains that have underperformed in 2025, Sui stands out not just for price performance but for fundamental growth:
- Total Value Locked (TVL): Reached $1.46 billion, up 49.14% over seven days (DefiLlama), ranking 8th among all blockchains.
- Market Cap: Surpassed $9 billion, placing SUI among the top 15 cryptocurrencies globally (CoinMarketCap), ahead of Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
- Institutional Adoption: Grayscale opened private fund offerings for qualified investors including SUI, while Valour launched the Valour Sui (SUI) ETP on Sweden’s Spotlight stock exchange, broadening access for retail and institutional capital.
Technological Advancements Driving Growth
Mysten Labs, Sui’s core development team, has consistently delivered upgrades that enhance scalability and user experience:
- Mysticeti Consensus Engine (launched August 2025): A new consensus mechanism significantly reducing network latency and improving finality speed.
- SuiPlay0X1 (planned for 2025): A handheld gaming device designed to bring mobile blockchain gaming to mainstream audiences.
- Dubai Developer Incubator: A strategic hub supporting global builders creating on Sui, fostering innovation in infrastructure and dApps.
Additionally, yield opportunities on Sui are attracting capital. Analysts note that lending protocols like Scallop offer borrowers up to 45% APY when using veTokens, outpacing yields on Ethereum and Solana-based platforms.
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Sui ecosystem, SUI token, DeFi on Sui, GameFi projects, meme coins on Sui, Layer 1 blockchain, blockchain gaming, decentralized exchange
Top Projects in the Sui Ecosystem
With over 86 projects listed on its official ecosystem dashboard, Sui’s most active categories include DeFi, GameFi, and meme-based tokens. Below are the standout initiatives gaining traction in 2025.
DeFi: Building Financial Infrastructure
Decentralized finance remains the backbone of Sui’s growth, with several protocols offering innovative liquidity and lending solutions.
NAVI Protocol
NAVI is a native all-in-one liquidity and lending platform supporting SUI, USDC, USDT, wETH, and wBTC. It offers isolated pools, flash loans, and plans for cross-chain borrowing. As of late 2025:
- NAVX price: $0.18
- Market cap: ~$57.5 million
- Key update: Became Ondo Finance’s official lending partner on Sui in October 2025
NAVI enables both liquidity providers and borrowers to earn passive income or leverage assets efficiently.
Cetus Protocol
A decentralized exchange operating on both Sui and Aptos, Cetus uses Concentrated Liquidity Market Making (CLMM)—a model inspired by Uniswap V3 and Trader Joe—to optimize capital efficiency.
- CETUS price: $0.36
- Market cap: $219 million
Q3 2025 report highlights:
- TVL exceeded $200 million
- Over 175k users (approaching 2 million)
- Total trading volume: $13 billion (+47% QoQ)
Cetus continues to lead in DEX innovation with advanced order types and low slippage.
DeepBook Protocol
DeepBook serves as a shared, decentralized order book built specifically for Sui’s high-speed architecture. It leverages Sui’s parallel execution engine to deliver ultra-low latency and high throughput.
- DEEP price: $0.077
- Market cap: ~$194 million
As a central liquidity aggregator across Sui DeFi apps, DeepBook enhances price discovery and reduces fragmentation.
Scallop
Scallop is a comprehensive money market protocol offering high-yield lending, low-cost borrowing, AMM capabilities, and asset management tools. In October 2025:
- Received investment from the Sui Foundation to expand functionality
- Supports SDK for professional traders
- SCA price: $0.57
- Market cap: ~$35.15 million
Staking SCA to obtain veSCA unlocks enhanced rewards—up to 45% APY for borrowers—making it one of the highest-yielding protocols on the network.
Suilend
An automated lending platform on Sui, Suilend announced plans in October 2025 to launch its native token SEND in December. The upcoming token generation event has sparked significant community anticipation.
Haedal Protocol
Haedal introduces liquid staking to Sui: users stake their SUI tokens and receive haSUI, which can be used across DeFi applications while earning staking rewards.
This dual utility increases capital efficiency and encourages deeper participation in governance and yield farming.
Turbos Finance
Turbos Finance operates as a non-custodial liquidity layer on Sui Network, combining CLMM-based AMM with derivatives trading.
- Token price: $0.0053
- Market cap: ~$9.75 million
Its hybrid model appeals to advanced traders seeking leveraged positions and concentrated liquidity options.
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GameFi: Merging Play-to-Earn with High Performance
Sui’s fast transaction speeds and low fees make it ideal for blockchain gaming. Several titles are already drawing large player bases.
Sui 8192
Inspired by the classic 2048 puzzle game, this on-chain version was developed by the Ethos team. Players combine numbered tiles to climb leaderboards. Pre-approving transactions via Ethos wallet allows faster gameplay without constant signing.
Panzerdogs
An NFT-based tank battle game similar to Brawl Stars. Players own all in-game assets—tanks, weapons, upgrades—and compete in PvP modes with play-to-earn mechanics.
Arcade Champion
A nostalgic take on arcade games infused with NFTs and play-to-earn elements. Features hero-based characters represented as tradable NFTs that can be upgraded or fused. Supports single-player and multiplayer modes with prize accumulation.
Haven's Compass
Developed by Ghost Ivy, this first-person tactical shooter emphasizes fast-paced combat. The final release will include both solo campaigns and competitive multiplayer modes—showcasing Sui’s ability to support AAA-quality game logic on-chain.
Final Stardust
An upcoming media franchise starting with Final Stardust: Cosmic Nexus, a digital collectible card game inspired by Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Targets anime and TCG fans with strategic gameplay and NFT integration.
Meme Coins: Community-Driven Tokens on the Rise
Meme coins have become a cultural force within the Sui ecosystem, fueled by viral marketing and strong community engagement.
Turbos.Fun
Launched November 7, 2025, Turbos.Fun is a meme coin launchpad on Sui. Within 24 hours:
- Over $5 million in trading volume
- More than 1,300 new tokens launched
It has quickly become a go-to platform for grassroots projects seeking rapid deployment.
HIPPO
Known as “SU DENG” in Asia—a nod to a popular internet meme—the HIPPO token has amassed a market cap of ~$136 million.
BLUB
The first meme coin on Sui, themed around marine life. Current market cap: $30 million.
Uni
Named after the dog of a SUI co-founder, Uni combines personal branding with community loyalty. Market cap: $167 million.
SHORK
A shark-themed meme token riding the “fin” wave of popularity. Market cap: $5 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What makes Sui different from other Layer 1 blockchains?
A: Sui leverages a unique object-centric data model and parallel transaction processing via the Move programming language, enabling near-instant finality and high throughput—ideal for DeFi and gaming applications.
Q: Is investing in early Sui ecosystem projects risky?
A: Yes. While high-growth potential exists, early-stage projects carry volatility and smart contract risks. Always conduct due diligence before participating.
Q: How can I participate in upcoming token launches on Sui?
A: Follow official project announcements through community channels like Discord or Telegram. Platforms like Turbos.Fun also enable direct access to new meme coin offerings.
Q: Can I stake SUI for yield?
A: Yes—through native staking or via liquid staking protocols like Haedal Protocol, which issues haSUI for use in DeFi while earning staking rewards.
Q: Are there institutional products available for SUI exposure?
A: Yes—Grayscale offers private fund access for accredited investors, and Valour’s SUI ETP is listed on the Spotlight exchange in Sweden.
Q: What role does Mysten Labs play in ecosystem development?
A: Mysten Labs leads core protocol development and funds ecosystem growth through grants and strategic partnerships like the Dubai incubator program.
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Final Thoughts
Sui’s rise in 2025 reflects more than just market cycles—it signals growing confidence in its technology stack and developer momentum. With strong TVL growth, institutional backing, and a vibrant mix of DeFi innovators, GameFi pioneers, and community-driven meme projects, Sui is building a self-sustaining ecosystem poised for long-term relevance.
As new hardware like the SuiPlay0X1 enters the market and more developers migrate from congested chains like Ethereum and Solana, early attention to emerging projects could yield significant opportunities.
For investors and builders alike, now is the time to explore what lies beneath the surface of this rising Layer 1 contender.