21Shares Files for Spot Sui ETF Amid Strategic Partnership With Layer-1 Blockchain
On Thursday, 21Shares submitted an S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a spot ETF tracking Sui’s native token, SUI.
Key details of the proposed ETF:
- Direct exposure to the price of SUI (no derivatives).
- Custody by Coinbase.
- Daily NAV based on a benchmark index of SUI’s spot market price.
- Cash-based creations and redemptions (no staking involved).
“This is the most direct route for retail and institutional investors to gain exposure to one of the fastest-growing Layer 1 blockchains,” said 21Shares President Duncan Moir.
Why the Sui ETF Could Be a Game-Changer
Sui, developed by Mysten Labs, is a Layer 1 blockchain engineered for:
- Parallel transaction execution
- Low-cost, high-speed infrastructure
- Support for DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and real-world asset tokenization
With a current market cap of $12.2 billion, Sui is the 13th largest crypto by market capitalization — and still climbing.
Following the ETF news, SUI rose by 4% to $3.70, before stabilizing around $3.65.
“Sui has become a destination for stablecoins, tokenized assets, and scalable DeFi platforms,” Moir noted in the filing.
Chart: Sui Ecosystem Growth Snapshot (May 2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Market Cap | $12.2 billion |
| Current SUI Price | $3.65 |
| Top Use Cases | DeFi, NFTs, RWA |
| Average TPS | 297,000+ |
| Developer Language | Move |
Strategic Partnership: 21Shares x Sui
In tandem with the ETF filing, 21Shares and Sui have announced a strategic partnership aimed at:
- Product collaboration
- Co-branded research reports
- Institutional ecosystem development
“Since our earliest research into Sui, we believed it could become one of the most exciting blockchains in the industry — and we’re seeing that thesis play out,” said Moir.
The partnership underscores a dual focus:
- Conviction in Sui’s technology
- Rising investor demand for access to next-gen Layer 1 blockchains
Sui’s Technical Edge Over Other L1s
Sui was designed by former Meta engineers and brings innovations that give it an edge over traditional blockchains:
- Object-based architecture: Each transaction processes independently, enabling massive scalability.
- Move language: More secure and adaptable for complex dApps.
- Instant finality: No long confirmation times, reducing user friction.
Kevin Boon, President of Mysten Labs, summarized it best:
“Sui was designed to become the global coordination layer for digital assets.”
21Shares Expands U.S. Crypto ETF Lineup
With this latest move, 21Shares has become one of the most aggressive ETF filers in 2025:
| Spot ETF Applications Filed | Tokens |
|---|---|
| Approved | BTC, ETH |
| Pending | XRP, SOL, DOGE, DOT, SUI |
Its co-managed spot Bitcoin ETF with ARK Invest is already among the top performers, pulling in over $1 billion in AUM since January.
“We operate based on conviction — and Sui is on our roadmap because the market is asking for it,” said Moir.
What’s Next for the SUI Token?
Analysts believe that if the Sui ETF is approved:
- It could act as a demand shock for the token.
- Institutional exposure would rise dramatically.
- SUI could target $5–$6 in the months after launch.
“Institutional investors prefer ETFs. This move makes Sui’s upside far more accessible,” commented a DeFi strategist at Genesis Labs.
Final Thoughts: Sui Joins the ETF Race — And Brings a Partner
The filing of a spot Sui ETF by 21Shares, paired with a strategic alliance with the Sui network, sets the stage for a new chapter in crypto asset accessibility.
Sui’s positioning as a developer-friendly, scalable L1 makes it a prime candidate for institutional adoption — and now, thanks to 21Shares, the path to exposure is clearer than ever.
The ETF revolution isn’t stopping at Bitcoin. With Sui now in the spotlight, the Layer 1 race just got a lot more interesting.
