Sui's native asset, the SUI token, has a fixed total supply of 10 billion tokens. However, not all tokens are immediately available. Instead, tokens unlock progressively as the Sui ecosystem expands—rewarding early adopters, supporting network operations through staking subsidies, and incentivizing community contributions via the Sui Foundation's Community Reserve.
You can track SUI’s real-time circulating supply through this API or explore the token release schedule for deeper insights.
How Sui’s Proof-of-Stake Model Works
Sui employs a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, where SUI holders stake tokens to delegate voting power to network validators. In return, stakers earn staking rewards, which comprise two components:
- Stake Subsidies: Released periodically at each epoch’s end (~24 hours).
- Gas Fees: Paid by users for on-chain transactions.
"Staking rewards originate from tokens already in circulation—either via subsidies or gas fees. Thus, their withdrawal or use doesn’t impact circulating supply."
Why Staking Rewards Don’t Affect Circulating Supply
- Stake Subsidies: When distributed as rewards, these tokens are already counted in circulating supply. Unstaking them for other uses doesn’t create new supply.
- Gas Fees: By definition, gas fees involve tokens already in circulation (users can’t pay fees with non-circulating tokens).
Example: Since Sui Mainnet’s launch (May 3, 2023), the network has distributed:
- 179 million SUI as stake subsidies.
- 0.9 million SUI from gas fees.
Total staking rewards paid: 179.9 million SUI (as of publication).
SUI’s Emission Schedule Explained
The emission schedule outlines how SUI’s supply grows toward its 10 billion cap by 2030. Key points:
- Withdrawing staking rewards doesn’t alter emissions, as these tokens are pre-circulated.
- Community Reserve: Managed by the Sui Foundation, this reserve funds grants, awards, and partnerships. It earns staking rewards, which are redistributed to the community—again, without affecting the emission schedule.
👉 Dive deeper into Sui’s tokenomics here
FAQs
Q1: Does unstaking SUI increase circulating supply?
A1: No. Unstaking only involves tokens already in circulation.
Q2: Where do staking rewards come from?
A2: Primarily stake subsidies and gas fees—both sourced from circulating tokens.
Q3: How often are stake subsidies released?
A3: Every epoch (~24 hours).
Q4: What’s the role of the Community Reserve?
A4: It funds ecosystem growth via grants and partnerships, using staking rewards earned from its reserve holdings.