In every round of the crypto bull market, there is always a main chain that stands out, becoming the focus of funds and discussions.
Looking back: In 2017, Ethereum defined the era of smart contracts and ICOs; in 2021, Solana surged from $1 to $260 due to its extreme performance and the explosion of DeFi, successfully reaching mainstream; looking forward, after 2025, who will take over the 'explosive baton'?
In my opinion, SUI has the potential to be the next big player.
The rise of SUI: Unlimited potential
SUI is not just another high-performance public chain; it possesses multidimensional innovations and market explosion factors:
1. Technological innovation: Based on the Move language and object-oriented model, SUI is more efficient and flexible in DeFi and game development.
2. Ecosystem development accelerates: Projects like Cetus, Send, NAVX have quickly taken shape, with DeFi, gaming, and NFT sectors developing in parallel, the ecosystem is growing rapidly.
3. Practicality-driven: SUI focuses on enhancing user experience and modular development, emphasizing that 'ease of use is the key to breakthroughs in Web3.'
4. Capital and IP endorsement: The development team comes from the core of Facebook Diem and has already established connections with companies related to Pokémon HOME, indicating immense potential for future collaboration.
5. Payment infrastructure implementation: Sui collaborates with xPortal to launch a virtual Mastercard, allowing SUI to be used for actual payments and gradually achieving commercialization.
6. Increased institutional attention: 21Shares has submitted an SUI ETF application to the U.S. SEC, which is an important signal for SUI's further entry into the mainstream capital market.
Valuation and potential returns:
As of May 2025, SUI's market capitalization is approximately $10.5 billion. If it can catch up to Solana's historical market cap high (around $90 billion), the corresponding SUI price would be roughly in the range of $4.86 to $40, with a potential increase of 8-10 times. If SUI can successfully enter mainstream applications and gain ETF approval, surpassing Solana's market cap is not out of reach, and a 20-fold growth potential is also possible.
Risks and challenges:
Despite many highlights, SUI also faces several challenges:
1. The ecosystem is still in its early stages, and it remains to be seen whether it can attract enough developers and capital for long-term stable growth.
2. The collaboration related to Pokémon has not been officially announced, and there is a lack of concrete evidence for market predictions on this matter.
3. Changes in the macro market environment (such as ETF approval delays or capital outflows) may impact its short-term growth.
Conclusion:
History does not repeat itself completely, but often has similar rhythms. Today's SUI may be undervalued just like ETH in 2017 and SOL in 2020, accumulating a tremendous breakthrough energy.
The explosive main trend is never absent; the key is whether you are ready to get on board at the right moment.
For SUI, 2026 could be the year of its breakout, with an expected increase of 8-10 times, achieving a leap similar to ETH and SOL.
