2026-01-17 08:23:22

Last month, there was a major fundraising event that some people might have missed. The Walrus Foundation raised $140 million through the pre-sale of $WAL tokens, directly pushing the fundraising volume to a new height.

Looking at the list of investors is truly shocking—Standard Crypto led the round, followed by the crypto division of a16z, Electric Capital, and the traditional asset management giant Franklin Templeton. What does this lineup of investors indicate? It shows that major institutions are betting on the decentralized storage track of the Sui ecosystem, and the Walrus project is their choice.

With a $2 billion valuation in place and $140 million raised quickly, CEO Evan Cheng revealed that the demand was extremely hot at the time, and the fundraising was completed in just three weeks. The funds in place can indeed support longer-term technological iterations and ecosystem development.

But on the other hand, the larger the fundraising scale, the higher the expectations. The market's demands for project delivery speed, actual operational results are also rising. The next step depends on how this money is spent—whether it can truly translate into network growth, user activity, and actual revenue. That is the real standard for validating the value of the fundraising. Large-scale fundraising is easy; producing results from the money spent is the real challenge.

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LongTermDreamer

· 21h ago

2 billion valuation, 140 million in funding, sounds pretty impressive, but to be honest, I'm more concerned about where this money will actually be spent three years from now.

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ForkLibertarian

· 23h ago

1.4 billion spent in three weeks to get it done, even traditional giants like Franklin Templeton are here to play, Walrus definitely has something Spending money is easy, achieving results is hard. This saying is very realistic. Let's wait and see what next year's data says The larger the funding amount, the higher the expectations. There's no problem with this logic, but whether the Sui ecosystem can really take off depends on execution A valuation of 2 billion sounds impressive, but the key is whether user growth can keep up; otherwise, it's just a numbers game A16z and Standard Crypto both entering the scene indicate there is indeed consensus in this track, but I'm more concerned about how Walrus's retention rate will be Raising 140 million in three weeks is indeed explosive demand, but that also means tremendous pressure ahead. Don't become just another star-funded project When big institutions band together to invest in a certain track, be cautious. It often signals something, but it could also be a collective gamble.

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DiamondHands

· 23h ago

1.4 billion invested, now the pressure is on. It really depends on how Walrus spends the money to achieve results. a16z is in, which shows this is not a joke. Now it's about whether they can meet expectations. Fast financing is just the beginning; delivery is the key. Don't let it turn into another PPT project. Standard Crypto and Franklin have all invested. This lineup is indeed formidable, but the concern is that after raising funds, there might be no follow-up. Raising 140 million in three weeks shows how hungry the market is, but hunger can also lead to risks. With a valuation of 2 billion, it's time to prove oneself. In the storage sector with so many competitors, why does Walrus stand out? The upcoming operational data will tell the story.

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HallucinationGrower

· 23h ago

Franklin has also placed a bet, what does this indicate? It shows the story is told exceptionally well. Big institutions follow the trend, but what really matters is whether they can deliver. Talking about fundraising without action, investing money into products is the real way to succeed. Getting 140 million easily, but producing results that are worth twice as much. Completing fundraising in three weeks? The hype is indeed outrageous. Valued at 2 billion, market expectations are already at their peak. I just want to see how many users are left after a year. Smooth fundraising can be even more dangerous; expectations are soaring. The key still depends on subsequent execution—don't become just another PPT project.

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