In 2021, Solana was the breakout star of the crypto world. Its market cap exploded from just $10 million to over $75 billion in one year. Now, some are wondering if Sui could be the next big Layer 1 to take that kind of leap.
A thread by analyst Xremlin, who has over 133,000 followers on X, explored this exact question. He compared SUI’s growth to Solana’s rise and looked at whether Sui might be carving out its own path to the top.
Let’s break down what’s really happening.
What you'll learn 👉
SUI’s Growing Momentum
Unlike most Layer 1s in this cycle, SUI has been one of the few exceptions showing strong growth. It uses the Move programming language and supports parallel transaction execution, which makes it incredibly fast.
In theory, Sui can process up to 297,000 transactions per second. That’s much higher than Solana, which can handle around 50,000 TPS in ideal conditions. Whether that number holds up in real-world scenarios is yet to be fully seen, but it shows what the network is aiming for.
Sui is going all-in on gaming. Its architecture is built around objects, which allows each in-game item to settle independently. This means better performance for real-time gaming, where even small delays can break the experience.
🧵Is $SUI the next $SOL?
— Xremlin (@0x_gremlin) May 3, 2025
In 2021, $SOL went insane: $10M → $75B in a year
In this thread, I’ll cover:
• $SUI development
• $SUI vs. $SOL comparison
• Could $SUI really become #1? pic.twitter.com/kYyRyHL9O3
The project is also working on the SuiPlay0X1, a Steam-Deck-level portable device that will run both Sui-native games and traditional PC/AAA titles. It’s a bold move, especially with the goal of bridging Web2 gamers into the Web3 world.
If successful, this gaming-first strategy could give Sui a clear identity; something many Layer 1s lack.
Read also: We Asked AI to Predict SUI Price in May
Big Partnerships Are Rolling In
Sui isn’t just building fast tech. It’s forming strong partnerships with both Web2 giants and financial heavyweights. Some highlights include:
- Google Cloud, to make building on Sui easier for developers.
- Franklin Templeton, a $1.6 trillion asset manager, bringing tokenization expertise.
- 21Shares, filing for a U.S.-listed SUI ETP.
- Revolut, with 40 million users, teaming up on global Web3 education.
- A multi-year branding deal with Oracle Red Bull Racing, putting Sui in front of over 500 million fans.
These aren’t hype-based crypto collaborations. They’re real-world integrations that aim to make Sui more visible and usable by mainstream audiences.
SUI vs Solana: The Current Numbers
Here’s how Sui stacks up against Solana right now:
| Metric | SUI | Solana |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Active Addresses | 1.5 million | 4.7 million |
| Daily Transactions | 6 million | 100 million+ |
| TVL | $1.77 billion | $7.9 billion |
| Avg. Daily DEX Volume | $400 million | $3.2 billion |
| Full-time Developers | 150 | 582 |
| Monthly Active Developers | 760 | 3,200 |
The gap is still wide. Solana clearly leads when it comes to users, developers, and on-chain activity. But the real story here is growth speed. Sui is new and already hitting these numbers. If it keeps up this pace, the gap could shrink faster than most expect.
A New Path, Not Just a Copy?
As Xremlin pointed out, Sui is not trying to copy Solana. It’s choosing a different route, with a strong focus on gaming and practical Web2 integrations. If it gets this right, Sui could become a key player in its own lane.
Solana remains the more mature ecosystem, but it’s not the only Layer 1 with potential anymore. Sui’s development, partnerships, and unique architecture are already making waves.
Solana is still the dominant force among high-performance Layer 1s. But Sui is quickly becoming one to watch. With a bold vision for Web3 gaming, serious tech under the hood, and major partners backing its growth, Sui might not need to become “the next Solana” – it could just be the first Sui.
The battle for the next billion users is heating up. And Sui is definitely in the race.
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