Sui’s innovative architecture is redefining how blockchain data is structured and utilized. By treating all digital assets—smart contracts, NFTs, and tokens—as individual objects, Sui introduces a unique, object-based model that enhances scalability, security, and developer flexibility. In this article, we’ll explore three core data application scenarios in Sui: NFT collections, token value tracking, and package contracts. These use cases highlight how Sui’s object-centric design is setting new standards in Web3 development.
Understanding Sui’s Object-Centric Model
At the heart of Sui’s architecture is the concept of objects. Unlike traditional blockchains where data is stored in account-based models, Sui treats every asset as a distinct object with its own ownership, type, and lifecycle. This shift enables parallel transaction processing, lower latency, and more intuitive smart contract interactions.
This model empowers developers to build high-performance decentralized applications (dApps) while simplifying data queries and analytics. Let’s dive into the three key areas where this system shines.
1. NFT Collections: Managing Digital Ownership
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) represent unique digital assets such as art, collectibles, or in-game items. In Sui, each NFT is an object with a specific type and owner. This makes it easier to track provenance, manage transfers, and analyze collection-wide activity.
How to Identify an NFT’s Controlling Contract Package?
To interact with or analyze an NFT collection, you first need to locate its controlling package—the Move smart contract responsible for minting and managing the NFTs.
For example, consider the "Bullshark" NFT with object ID: 0xee496a0cc04d06a345982ba6697c90c619020de9e274408c7819f787ff66e1a1
The package ID can be derived from the NFT’s type signature. If the NFT type is:
0xee49...e1a1::suifrens::SuiFren<0x8894...8f32::bullshark::Bullshark>Then the controlling package ID is 0xee49...e1a1.
👉 Discover how to analyze NFT ownership patterns using real-time blockchain data.
Querying All Move Calls from a Package
Once you have the package ID, you can retrieve all transactions (Move calls) executed by that contract:
SELECT * FROM sui.move_calls
WHERE move_package = '0xee496a0cc04d06a345982ba6697c90c619020de9e274408c7819f787ff66e1a1';This helps in auditing contract behavior, identifying usage trends, or detecting anomalies.
Finding All NFTs Within a Collection
You can also query all NFTs belonging to a specific collection using their object type:
SELECT * FROM sui.objects
WHERE object_type = '0xee496a0cc04d06a345982ba6697c90c619020de9e274408c7819f787ff66e1a1::suifrens::SuiFren<0x8894fa02fc6f36cbc485ae9145d05f247a78e220814fb8419ab261bd81f08f32::bullshark::Bullshark>';This enables comprehensive analysis of collection size, holder distribution, and transfer frequency.
2. Token Value: Tracking Balances and Flows
In Sui, tokens—including SUI itself—are also objects. Each coin is a separate object with a Coin<T> type, where T defines the token standard. This means balances aren’t stored in accounts but are instead aggregated from individual coin objects.
How to Query Token Balances?
To calculate a user’s balance for a specific token, you must group all coin objects of the same CoinType and owner address.
For example, to get the top 100 SUI token balances:
SELECT SUM(storage_rebate) AS balance, owner_address
FROM sui.objects
WHERE object_type = '0x2::coin::Coin<0x2::sui::SUI>'
GROUP BY owner_address
ORDER BY balance DESC
LIMIT 100;Note: The storage_rebate field approximates the coin’s value since actual balance is stored in the object’s content. For precise values, parse the JSON-encoded object data.This approach allows for real-time balance tracking, whale monitoring, and liquidity analysis across decentralized exchanges and wallets.
👉 Learn how to track token flows and detect emerging trends in real time.
3. Package Contracts: Identifying Top dApps
Smart contracts on Sui are deployed as packages. Each package contains modules written in Move and can generate numerous transactions (Move calls). By analyzing these calls, we can identify the most active and impactful dApps on the network.
How to Find the Most Active Contracts?
Ranking contracts by their transaction volume reveals ecosystem leaders. Use this query to find the top 100 packages by interaction count:
SELECT COUNT(*) AS score, move_package
FROM sui.move_calls
GROUP BY move_package
ORDER BY score DESC
LIMIT 100;High scores indicate popular dApps—such as decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, or gaming protocols—driving user engagement and network activity.
This data is invaluable for:
- Investors evaluating project traction
- Developers benchmarking performance
- Researchers studying ecosystem growth
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are objects in Sui?
In Sui, objects are the fundamental units of data storage. Everything—tokens, NFTs, smart contracts—is treated as an object with a unique ID, type, owner, and lifecycle. This model enables fine-grained control and parallel execution.
How do I find the contract package for an NFT?
The controlling package ID is embedded in the NFT’s type signature. Extract the hexadecimal prefix before the first :: in the object type to get the package ID. For example, an NFT of type 0xabcd...::nft::Item belongs to package 0xabcd....
Can I query balances for any token on Sui?
Yes. Any fungible token on Sui follows the Coin<T> standard. You can query all coin objects of a given CoinType, group them by owner, and sum their values to compute balances.
What makes Sui’s object-based system unique?
Unlike account-based blockchains (like Ethereum), Sui’s object model allows direct ownership and manipulation of assets. This eliminates re-entrancy risks, supports parallel processing, and simplifies composability between dApps.
Are all NFTs stored as objects in Sui?
Yes. Every NFT is a first-class object with metadata, ownership, and transferability built into the protocol. This ensures consistent handling across wallets, marketplaces, and analytics tools.
How does Sui handle token transfers?
Token transfers involve moving coin objects between owners. Since each coin is an independent object, transfers are atomic and don’t require balance updates across multiple accounts—reducing complexity and increasing speed.
Conclusion
Sui’s object-based architecture represents a paradigm shift in blockchain design. By treating contracts, tokens, and NFTs as discrete objects, Sui unlocks new levels of efficiency, security, and scalability. Whether you're analyzing NFT collections, tracking token value flows, or identifying top-performing dApps, the ability to query and interpret on-chain data is crucial.
Developers and analysts now have powerful tools to explore Sui’s ecosystem—from identifying whale movements to auditing smart contract activity. As Web3 continues to evolve, platforms that embrace transparent, queryable data will lead innovation.
👉 Start exploring Sui’s on-chain data with advanced querying tools today.
Core Keywords:
Sui blockchain, object-based model, NFT collections, token value tracking, package contracts, Move language, Web3 data analytics