- Data Network and Sui tokens outperformed most large‑cap crypto assets on Monday after announcing a strategic partnership backed by a $30 million investment in the AI training data protocol.
The Sui Foundation and Data Network (DATA) have entered a strategic alliance aimed at integrating AI‑driven data capabilities into the Sui (SUI) blockchain. The announcement sparked a sharp rally in DATA’s price, with SUI also posting notable gains.
Data Network and Sui Gains
Data Network, which rebranded from Story Protocol (IP), surged roughly 16% in the last 24 hours, climbing from $0.1932 to a peak of $0.2239 per token before stabilising near $0.21 at the time of writing.
Sui also outperformed most top‑tier cryptocurrencies, gaining more than 4% over the same period. The token rose from $1.09 to a high of $1.14 before consolidating around $1.13.
Reason Behind the Move
Since its rebrand, Data Network has been reshaping its roadmap. After initial efforts to gain traction with an IP‑focused approach for entertainment and gaming proved limited, the project refocused on AI training data rights, provenance, and consent mechanisms.
The platform has since tracked more than one billion data records, aligning with its vision of serving as the “trust layer for all AI training data.” Earlier in the week, Coinbase Markets listed the DATA token, reviving market interest.
Seizing the momentum, Data Network unveiled a major partnership with the Sui Foundation, complemented by a $30 million investment from Sui into the AI training data protocol.
The news arrived alongside a double‑digit rise in DATA’s value and modest gains for Sui, both of which outperformed the broader crypto market on Monday.
What the SUI‑DATA Link Means
Data Network says the partnership will significantly enhance Sui’s ecosystem by feeding rights‑cleared AI training data into its infrastructure. The system generates over 250 million provenance receipts to verify each record, and relies on Walrus Protocol for its base storage layer.
Sui Foundation’s $30 million investment marks the largest institutional stake in Data Network to date, joining existing holdings from PIP Labs and the Data Foundation.
In a bid to deepen collaboration, the Sui Foundation appointed Sy Lee—Data Network’s founder and CEO of PIP Labs—as a Strategic Advisor. The two entities plan to integrate Data Network’s protocol natively onto the Sui blockchain within the next few months.
