In the world of crypto, Walrus (often referred to as the Walrus Protocol) is a decentralized storage and data availability network. It was developed by Mysten Labs, the same team behind the Sui blockchain.
Think of it as a blockchain-native version of Google Drive or AWS S3, but specifically designed to handle massive files (like videos, AI datasets, and NFT media) without the high costs usually associated with storing data on a blockchain.
### Core Features
Red Stuff Encoding: This is their proprietary "erasure coding" technology. Instead of making 20 full copies of a file (which is expensive), it breaks data into tiny shards. You only need a fraction of those shards to perfectly reconstruct the original file, making it both highly secure and much cheaper
Built on Sui: While it can work with other blockchains (like Ethereum or Solana), it uses the Sui network as its "brain" to manage payments, node registration, and metadata.
The $WAL Token: This is the native utility token. It’s used to pay for storage, stake to secure the network, and participate in governance.
### Why Does It Matter?
Traditional blockchains are great at recording transactions (who sent what), but they are terrible at storing large files—it’s simply too expensive. Walrus solves this "storage gap" by:
Lowering Costs: It claims to be significantly cheaper than older decentralized storage like Filecoin or Arweave.
AI & Data Markets: It’s being positioned as a platform for the "AI era," where large datasets need to be verified and stored in a way that no single company can delete or control them.
Decentralized Websites: You can host entire websites (Walrus Sites) directly on the protocol, making them virtually impossible to censor or take down.
