Meet Walrus: The Next-Gen Decentralized Storage Network

Introduction

Mysten Labs, the team behind Sui—a high performance blockchain—is taking on one of Web3’s biggest challenges: decentralized storage. Enter Walrus, its in-house solution for securely storing massive amounts of data at a fraction of traditional costs.

Founded by former Meta engineers behind the abandoned Diem project, Walrus aims to redefine how we store and manage large-scale data in the Web3 era. While protocols like Filecoin and Arweave exist, they struggle with inefficiency, high costs, and limited programmability. 

Mysten is throwing its full weight behind Walrus, positioning it as a critical infrastructure layer for dApps, NFTs, AI and beyond. Let’s unpack why this matters.

First Sui, Then Deepbook, Now Walrus

Mysten Labs has built an impressive track record. They developed Sui, a blockchain that now ranks among the top 15 by market cap, and Deepbook, Sui’s DeFi liquidity layer, which launched in October 2024 and has soared over 1000%—landing it in the top 100. Riding this wave of success, Mysten Labs is now leveraging its expertise to launch Walrus Protocol, their bold new vision for data storage.

TPS Comparison of Top Blockchains, Source: Suipiens

With Sui's top performance, it makes sense that Mysten Labs would want a storage solution built specifically for it. Rather than relying on third parties, they’re investing in Walrus to ensure that data storage keeps pace with the rest of the Sui ecosystem. 

So, What is Walrus?

Walrus is a decentralized storage protocol designed to handle “blobs”—large, unstructured data files such as videos, images, audio, and even blockchain history—while prioritizing security, scalability, and cost efficiency. Unlike traditional cloud storage, Walrus splits files into fragments called slivers (or Red Stuff), distributing them across a global network of nodes. Even if some nodes fail or act maliciously, the data remains recoverable thanks to erasure coding and redundancy mechanisms.

Key features include:

• End-to-end encryption for private data storage.
• Programmable storage resources tokenized on Sui, enabling seamless integration with smart contracts.
• Cross-chain compatibility, supporting not just Sui but also Ethereum and Solana.
• Low-cost operations—storage costs are far cheaper than conventional methods.
• Byzantine Fault Tolerance: Walrus tolerates up to 1/3 malicious nodes, a leap over competitors like Filecoin.

For developers, this means:

• Low-Cost Storage: Upload gigabytes at a fraction of traditional costs.
• Seamless Integration: Use Sui’s CLI, HTTP APIs, or tools like SuiS3 (an AWS S3-style interface for Walrus).

Why Walrus Stands Out

Revolutionary Storage for the Decentralized Era

Walrus makes storing and delivering large files—whether it’s videos, images, PDFs, or audio—seamless across both Web2 and Web3. No more headaches over where your data lives.

Built for Scale & Efficiency

Instead of relying on a single server, Walrus spreads your files across a global network of nodes, using advanced redundancy and erasure coding to keep everything secure and accessible.

Powering On-Chain Applications

By integrating directly with smart contracts through the WAL token, Walrus is making fully decentralized applications a reality. Think of it as the missing piece Web3 has been waiting for. Essentially, projects can finally:

• Host fully on-chain dApps (frontend + backend).
• Archive blockchain history without blowing costs.
• Secure AI datasets with cryptographic proofs.

As Daniel Fritsche of TradePort, which uses Walrus, notes:

Thanks to their innate structure, Sui enables dynamic and composable NFTs, which dramatically open up the possibilities of NFT use cases. Add in programmable storage, and the attached NFT metadata becomes just as dynamic and responsive. This is only possible on a performant storage network like Walrus.

Early Success & Real-World Impact

Since Walrus’s public testnet launch on October 17, 2024, things have been buzzing:

• 25 community-operated storage nodes are already up and running, with plans to expand even further.
• Users have stored over 4,343 GB of data in just under a month—a clear sign that people see the value.

At the “Breaking the Ice” hackathon, 288 developers joined in, leading to 40 projects being shortlisted and 10 teams taking home grand prizes. These projects are exploring everything from decentralized file-sharing to innovative subscription models.

Ecosystem Play: Partners & Adoption

Several major projects have already begun migrating to Walrus. Here are a few notable ones:

• Tusky: A privacy-first storage platform (think decentralized Dropbox) shifted from Arweave to Walrus for cost efficiency and Sui’s programmability.
• Decrypt Media: A well-known Web3 media outlet is storing its entire content library on Walrus, linking articles directly to decentralized backups.
• TradePort: The largest Sui NFT marketplace uses Walrus for dynamic metadata, enabling composable, upgradable NFTs.

Even Sui’s own blog and documentation are hosted on Walrus—a sweet proof-of-concept.

How Walrus Works: A Technical Peek

If you’ve made it this far, it’s clear you’re curious about Walrus and want to learn more. Things might get a bit technical here, but we’ve done our best to break down Walrus’ complex yet solid architecture into three distinct parts.

1. Fragmentation & Distribution: Files are split into slivers and spread across nodes. The system tolerates up to 1/3 malicious nodes while maintaining data integrity.
2. Sui Integration: Sui manages metadata, proofs and payments. Storage resources are tokenized, enabling programmable ownership and trading.
3. Verification: Instead of checking individual files, Walrus audits entire nodes, slashing costs by 80% compared to traditional methods.

Walrus Architecture, Source: Walrus

The Roadmap: From Testnet to Global Dominance

Walrus hit a major milestone with its public testnet launch in 2024, backed by Sui’s blockchain as its coordination layer. Highlights include:

• Deletable Blobs API: Allowing users to manage data lifecycle.
• WAL Token Economy: The WAL token fuels staking, payments, and governance. Its smallest unit, FROST (1 WAL = 1 billion FROST), enables microtransactions.
• Explorer Tools: A dedicated Walrus Explorer for real-time network analysis.
• Mainnet Timeline: Planned for Q1 2025, Walrus aims to scale to thousands of nodes, backed by a delegated PoS model and the Walrus Foundation, which recently appointed a new Managing Executive to drive growth & leadership.

Also, early adopters can expect an airdrop! Stay tuned to the official Walrus channels for upcoming details and announcements.

Looking Ahead

Walrus is well-positioned to become a cornerstone of the decentralized web. With its efficient storage solutions, robust tokenomics, and the backing of a forward-thinking team at Mysten Labs, Walrus not only addresses the inefficiencies of traditional storage systems but also opens up new possibilities for a wide range of Web3 applications.

As George Danezis, Mysten Labs’ co-founder, puts it: “Walrus is pivotal for blockchain projects needing rich media support... [it] brings decentralized storage to the masses”.

Whether you’re a developer looking to build the next-generation dApp or an enterprise seeking cost-effective, resilient storage, Walrus offers a glimpse into the future of data management.

Ready to learn more? Explore Walrus’ whitepaper or join their Discord to stay updated!