Sui Network is gearing up for a significant upgrade aimed at enhancing user privacy within its ecosystem, as confirmed by Adeniyi Abiodun, co-founder and chief product officer of Mysten Labs. The ambitious initiative will see private transactions implemented on the Sui platform by 2026, underlining the necessity of privacy for driving mainstream adoption.
In a revealing post on X, Abiodun excitedly announced, “Private transactions are coming to Sui Network in 2026. More on this soon!!” The Sui official account echoed his enthusiasm, stating, “Private transactions on Sui. 2026 is going to be exciting no doubt.” In a short video that accompanied his announcement, Abiodun showcased the marketing potential of functional privacy, arguing that standard transparent ledgers impede the adoption of payment solutions at a consumer scale.
Transforming Payment Privacy
Abiodun articulated a strong stance, stating, “It’s impossible to get mass global consumer adoption for anything payments related without privacy.” He elaborated that while Mysten Labs had already been developing privacy components prior to Sui’s mainnet launch, they were originally restrained from releasing these features due to prevailing uncertainties around commercial viability and regulatory implications.
Highlighting the pivotal nature of these developments, Abiodun indicated that privacy will not merely be an add-on feature within applications but will be an inherent part of Sui’s architecture. “You’re going to see in 2026 private payments directly on Sui, so users don’t even have to opt in to ensure that their transactions they do on-chain are inherently private,” he stated, suggesting that Sui will lead the way in enabling users to transact online freely and privately, while navigating the labyrinth of regulatory frameworks.
As part of this initiative, he described the forthcoming privacy functionalities as “first-class primitives” that will be structured at the protocol level, scope for other developers to build upon rather than being confined to a singular product. “It’s going to be a protocol primitive, so everybody can use it,” he asserted, emphasizing that this approach underscores the serious consideration Sui is giving to user privacy.
The proposed system envisions a model of user-controlled disclosure, where transactions are private by default but can be selectively shared when necessary. This allows users complete control over their on-chain activities while safeguarding their transactions from unauthorized visibility. Abiodun made it clear that this will address privacy concerns more comprehensively than typical privacy coin solutions, with a keen focus on both consumer and enterprise applications.
“More importantly, we’re looking at making privacy something that can be used by large enterprises on Sui as well,” he said, indicating that the design will cater to complex corporate requirements and facilitate the development of sophisticated privacy-oriented applications.
Market Sentiment Amidst Developments
The announcement arrives against a backdrop of mixed market dynamics regarding Sui. Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe commented on the disconnect between Sui’s ecosystem metrics and its current price, labeling it “one of the strongest ecosystems in crypto” due to impressive growth, including a total value locked (TVL) of around $1 billion. He anticipated a rebound for Sui once the markets stabilize.
Meanwhile, others have expressed skepticism about Sui’s future, with analyst Nebraskangooner suggesting resistance levels might hinder growth, labeling SUI as a potential “dying altcoin” in a recent post.
As of now, SUI is trading at $1.44, leaving investors watching closely for the impact of these promising privacy enhancements set for 2026.
