Here are the latest developments of Walrus Protocol up to early January 2026:
1. Software and Code Update
On November 8, 2025, Walrus released version v1.38.0 with several improvements and new features, including:
- Fixed commission fee calculation for large rewards.
- Added option to move upload mode to client configuration.
- Improvement of documentation and correction of CLI commands.
- In October 2025, there was an update to the pre-commit hook and in September 2025, Rust was upgraded to version 1.91 to improve code performance and security.
2. Integration with Pipe Network
On August 5, 2025, Walrus announced integration with Pipe Network (a decentralized content delivery network with over 280,000 global nodes). Benefits include:
- Read-write latency drops below 50 ms, ensuring fast data access from anywhere.
- Bandwidth significantly increases, enabling smoother cross-blockchain asset flows such as Ethereum, Solana, and Cosmos.
- Pipe Network acts as Walrus's content delivery layer, while Walrus provides decentralized storage to expand multi-chain reach.
3. Partnership with TradePort
TradePort (the largest multi-chain NFT marketplace on Sui) uses Walrus to store metadata for all Move-based NFT projects, including data from collections released via their launchpad. This collaboration leverages Walrus's programmable storage capabilities to make NFT metadata more dynamic and composable.
4. Management Team Strengthening
Walrus Foundation appointed Rebecca Simmonds (former Vega Protocol executive) as Managing Executive in early 2025. She is responsible for overseeing daily operations, providing strategic leadership, and driving ecosystem growth, with a focus on scalability and developer community development.
5. Upcoming Development Roadmap (Q4 2025 - Q1 2026)
- Q4 2025: Conduct benchmark testing for latency, read/write throughput, and video delivery, and improve overall performance.
- Q1 2026: Launch support for very large files (XL blobs), develop native blob management, and establish stable storage pricing tied to USD.
