DATA, the startup formerly known as Story Protocol, announced it is retiring its proprietary blockchain and migrating its operations to the Sui network. This strategic shift follows a $30 million investment from the Sui Foundation and marks a pivot away from broad intellectual property licensing toward verifying AI training data.
The company will move its existing token to Sui on a one-to-one basis while keeping its current blockchain operational until the migration is complete. By leveraging Sui’s infrastructure, DATA aims to focus resources on its Trace registry product rather than maintaining the costs associated with running a standalone layer-1 blockchain.
Key facts
- The Sui Foundation invested $30 million in DATA, becoming the network’s largest institutional holder.
- DATA is retiring its own blockchain to concentrate on its AI data verification tools.
- Existing tokens will migrate to Sui on a one-to-one basis with unchanged rights and vesting schedules.
- The current blockchain will remain operational until the migration process is fully complete.
- DATA shifted its business focus from general intellectual property to tracking AI training data origins.
Why it matters
This transition allows DATA to eliminate the engineering, validator, and infrastructure costs of maintaining its own layer-1 blockchain, enabling the company to direct its energy toward developing its Trace protocol and integrating decentralized storage solutions like Walrus and Seal.