@Walrus 🦭/acc Let’s start with something honest.
Blockchains are great at moving money.
They are not great at storing data.
And yet, almost everything we use online today runs on data. Images. Videos. AI models. Games. Websites. Apps. All of it.
So here’s the problem:
Most Web3 apps still store their data on centralized servers. Usually AWS. Sometimes Google Cloud. That means decentralization stops halfway.
This is where Walrus comes in.
Walrus is not trying to be exciting. It’s trying to be useful.
So… What Is Walrus, Really?
Walrus Protocol is a decentralized storage network. But not the usual kind.
It’s built specifically for big files. The kind blockchains hate.
Think:
Videos
Images
AI datasets
NFT media
Game assets
Website content
Instead of putting all that on one server, Walrus spreads it across many independent nodes. No single owner. No single point of failure.
Walrus uses the Sui blockchain as its control layer. Sui doesn’t store the data itself. It just keeps everything organized, verified, and fair.
A simple way to picture it:
Sui is the coordinator.
Walrus nodes are the storage workers.
Why Walrus Exists (And Why It Matters)
Web3 Still Depends on Web2
Most “decentralized” apps aren’t fully decentralized.
They might use a blockchain for tokens, but:
Their images live on centralized servers
Their websites live on centralized hosting
Their data can be removed at any time
That’s a big weakness.
Walrus is trying to remove that weakness.
AI Changed the Game
AI runs on data. Huge amounts of it.
Training data, models, results almost all of it lives on centralized infrastructure today. That creates control, censorship, and trust issues.
Walrus is quietly positioning itself as storage for the AI era. Not hype. Just infrastructure.
Censorship and Reliability
Centralized storage can disappear.
Walrus is built so data survives even if:
Some nodes go offline
Some operators leave
Parts of the network fail
Your data doesn’t rely on one company staying alive.
How Walrus Works (No Tech Jargon)
Here’s the simple version.
Step 1: Your File Gets Prepared
When you upload a file to Walrus, it’s treated as a single large object. Walrus is designed for big files from the start.
Step 2: The File Is Broken Into Pieces
The file is split into many small pieces. Extra pieces are added for safety.
This means:
Not every piece is required
Some pieces can disappear
The file can still be rebuilt
This is smarter and cheaper than copying the same file over and over.
Step 3: Pieces Go to Different Nodes
Each piece goes to a different storage node.
No node has the whole file.
No node controls your data.
Step 4: Proof Instead of Trust
Nodes must prove they still have the data.
If they don’t, they don’t get paid.
Everything is checked and coordinated using the Sui blockchain.
Step 5: Getting Your Data Back
When someone wants the data:
Pieces are downloaded from multiple nodes at once
The file is rebuilt
Even if some nodes are missing, it still works
The goal is simple:
It should feel reliable, not fragile.
What Is WAL Used For?
WAL is the fuel of the system.
You pay WAL to store data
Nodes earn WAL for storing data
WAL can be staked to support the network
WAL holders help guide future decisions
It’s not designed to be a meme token.
It’s designed to keep the system running.
Is Walrus Actually Live?
Yes.
Mainnet launched in early 2025
More than 100 active storage nodes
Real data on the network
Developers already building
This isn’t a whitepaper project.
What People Are Building With Walrus
Walrus is quiet, but practical.
People are using it for:
NFT images and videos
AI datasets
Decentralized websites
Game assets
App storage
It’s meant to sit underneath applications and just work.
Why Being Built on Sui Matters
Sui is fast. Very fast.
That means:
Quick verification
Smooth coordination
Better user experience
As Sui adds privacy features, Walrus naturally becomes the storage layer that supports private and compliant applications.
Funding and Long-Term Thinking
Walrus reportedly raised around $140 million from well known investors.
That money isn’t being used for flashy marketing. It’s being used to:
Improve tooling
Support developers
Scale the network
Think long-term
This project is built for years, not months.
What Still Needs to Go Right
Walrus isn’t guaranteed success.
It still has challenges:
Strong competition from older storage networks
Developers need easy tools
Decentralized storage is harder to explain than DeFi
Prices don’t always reflect progress
Infrastructure projects are slow burns.
Final Thoughts
Walrus isn’t loud.
It isn’t chasing trends.
It isn’t trying to go viral.
It’s doing something harder:
building the boring foundation that everything else needs.
If Web3 and AI continue to grow, decentralized storage won’t be optional.
Walrus is betting on that future.
And sometimes, the quiet builders end up being the most important ones.
