Project @Walrus 🦭/acc is emerging as one of the most important decentralized storage platforms in the Web3 ecosystem in 2026.
Launched on mainnet in March 2025 by the Mysten Labs team (creators of the Sui blockchain), Walrus is specifically designed to solve the problem of large-scale data (blobs) storage in a cost-effective, fast, and reliable way—something traditional blockchains struggle to achieve. Backed by major funds such as a16z, Standard Crypto, and Franklin Templeton (raising $140 million), the project has quickly attracted over 120 integrations and become a foundational storage layer for many real-world applications.
In 2026, Walrus is shining in two key areas: AI and big data. Walrus provides verifiable storage, enabling AI models to securely, transparently, and fraud-proof access datasets and model weights.
Closer integration with Sui Stack is turning Walrus into a core platform for the "Verifiable AI Economy" that the Sui Foundation has been promoting since early this year. Media and heavy content: From images and videos to applications like NFTs and decentralized social media, Walrus delivers millisecond-level retrieval speed, low cost, and zero download fees—ideal for the booming media projects.
