The US trade deficit issue may seem on the surface to be an imbalance in the flow of goods and services, but in the digital economy era, the reality is much more complex.

Let's first look at data, this "invisible commodity." Personal information, business operation data, and financial transaction data generated daily on the global internet are everywhere, crossing borders freely, yet few people ask where the value of this data ultimately flows. The fact is, the profits generated from these massive amounts of data are mostly absorbed by a few tech giants, which are not reflected in trade accounts and leave countries at a disadvantage.

Next, consider the payment system. Current cross-border trade relies heavily on USD settlement, which grants the US significant financial power, but also exposes other countries to exchange rate risks and sanctions pressure. Countries are pondering one question: how to break free from this dependence and establish a more neutral, controllable value exchange mechanism?

The most interesting aspect is supply chain security. Countries are working hard to "de-risk" key commodity supply chains, and the same logic is playing out in the digital realm. Data storage, information transmission, and infrastructure for processing that are autonomous, controllable, resistant to censorship, and protected against single points of failure—these are no longer just technical issues but major strategic concerns for nations.

From this perspective, the emergence of distributed storage protocols like Walrus takes on new significance—not just as technological innovation, but as a redefinition of the flow of value and financial sovereignty in the digital age.