Having spent some time in the Sui ecosystem, observing Walrus evolve from a simple storage tool into an infrastructure layer, this process is quite worth discussing.

The core advantage doesn't lie in storage itself but in breaking down the data silos on the chain. Traditional storage solutions are like standalone hard drives; once data is stored, it's difficult for applications to call upon it directly. Walrus's approach is to deeply integrate into the Sui virtual machine, allowing smart contracts to natively read and verify stored data, effectively opening a direct connection channel between the application layer and the storage layer. This provides an immediate implementation path for scenarios like NFT metadata verification and decentralized identity authentication.

The technical iterations are also quite substantial. Improvements in API call efficiency, retrieval speed optimizations, and support for TypeScript and Flutter SDKs—all these enable developers to quickly build without needing an in-depth understanding of the underlying protocol. More importantly, the cryptographic proof mechanism—where third-party contracts or cross-chain solutions can verify data authenticity without relying on centralized intermediaries—ensures security while tightly linking the value of the WAL token with actual on-chain activity.

From an ecosystem perspective, Walrus has secured its position as a data composability hub. Other applications will naturally depend on its storage layer, and network effects are gradually emerging. Storage fees, staking mechanisms, and node validation all promote WAL circulation. The greater the usage and the more active the ecosystem, the more pronounced the positive feedback loop.

In simple terms, Walrus is no longer just a storage tool but an indispensable infrastructure layer within the Sui ecosystem.