Recently, a major exchange's public square has been buzzing with activity around Walrus Protocol's creator events, with a sizable reward pool. Creators from all over are sharing real-world use cases of $WAL. It's clear that community engagement is strong.

From a broader perspective, Walrus is not operating in isolation. By attracting developers and users through such events, it is gradually building a data market ecosystem — a concept worth pondering. Looking at its economic design, staking not only generates returns but also allows node operators to participate in governance decisions. The phased release mechanism of the "Storage Fund" is well-designed; it can rise with the bull market and hold steady during bear markets.

Looking ahead, after the Seal white paper is released in early 2026, privacy transactions will become a standard feature. AI and gaming projects are bound to flock in. The latest update is that after Pudgy Penguins completed migration, data volume has surged, and Talus AI agents have been seamlessly integrated. The current market cap is about $230 million, with circulating supply accounting for 31%. It is already listed on multiple major exchanges with active trading.

Why is this scheme so attractive? Simply put, it hits the pain point — the Web3 social and creator economy ecosystem is missing a truly reliable storage solution.