BlockDAG vs Sui & Polkadot: Keynote 3 Outlines AI, Identity & Governance Vision

Sui Tops $5.57B in DeFi, Polkadot Adds 50+ Parachains—BlockDAG’s Keynote 3 Points to the Future

Blockchain’s next chapter won’t be defined by speed alone—it’s what comes after scalability that truly sets projects apart. Sui and Polkadot have each focused on foundational enhancements. Sui brought in parallel transaction processing, while Polkadot reshaped interoperability with its parachain model.

Now, BlockDAG is shifting the conversation forward. While its speed and performance check all the boxes, the newly revealed roadmap takes it a step further—with integrated plans for AI, decentralized governance, and digital identity. With growing presale momentum and key tech already delivered, BlockDAG is setting the tone for where next-gen Layer 1s are heading.

Sui: Rapid Growth & DeFi Dominance

Sui launched in May 2023, led by former Meta engineers, with a focus on performance. Its standout feature—an object-based structure—allows transactions to run in parallel. This has helped the chain process over 4.58 billion transactions across 18.19 million active accounts by January 2025. The design has attracted developers and users, growing its ecosystem to 54 protocols.

Sui’s DeFi activity is particularly impressive. Its Perpetual DEX recorded $5.57 billion in trading volume in January 2025 alone—beating out many rivals. On the token side, SUI has climbed 11.60% in just one week, well above the broader crypto market’s 1.70% gain. That kind of performance has delivered solid returns for early holders and added real momentum to the project.

Polkadot: Building Bridges Across Chains

Since launching in May 2020, Polkadot—designed by Ethereum co-founder Dr. Gavin Wood—has championed blockchain interoperability. Its standout feature is the parachain model, which lets multiple chains run in parallel, boosting both scalability and flexibility. Today, the network supports more than 50 parachains.

Polkadot’s DOT token plays a central role in staking, bonding, and governance. Over 55% of DOT in circulation is staked—an indicator of strong community backing. Despite fluctuations in price, the upcoming release of Polkadot 2.0 in Q1 2025 is expected to further improve scalability and customization options, potentially driving renewed interest in DOT’s value.

BlockDAG Sets Its Sights on AI, Identity & Governance After 2026

BlockDAG is building more than just a fast network—it’s laying the groundwork for a future digital world. By 2026, it plans to expand its core protocol to include decentralized AI, governance, and digital identity solutions. These features aim to turn the network into a foundation for autonomous, user-controlled digital environments.

On the AI front, BlockDAG will support transparent, on-chain intelligence that operates without centralized oversight. For identity, the platform is building self-sovereign solutions so users can fully control their personal data across applications—from finance to healthcare. Governance will be built into the protocol from the ground up, letting token holders vote on upgrades and system rules.

Backing this ambitious roadmap is strong market traction. BlockDAG has raised $209 million in presale funding—entirely without venture capital. It’s now in batch 27, with tokens priced at $0.0248. So far, more than 19 billion coins have been sold, and early buyers have seen gains of 2,380% since the presale began.

As CTO Jeremy Harkness shared during Keynote 3, “We’re exploring new frontiers like AI, self-sovereign identity, data personhood, and decentralized governance.” This signals that BlockDAG is ready to evolve beyond performance and into full-spectrum Web3 infrastructure.

Reimagining What Layer 1 Can Be

Sui and Polkadot have done well to refine the basics—transaction throughput, scalability, and interoperability. Their developer ecosystems are thriving, and both networks continue to deliver strong growth.

But now the spotlight is shifting. In a world where Web3 must support more than just fast transactions, BlockDAG’s forward-looking roadmap brings identity, AI, and governance to the center of its core architecture—not as extras, but as essentials. As crypto matures, that vision could define the kind of infrastructure tomorrow’s users will demand.