Kaspa and Sui both aim for high-speed, scalable blockchain performance — but their architectures could not be more different.
Kaspa uses a blockDAG powered by Proof-of-Work, while Sui uses a parallel, object-oriented execution model built on Proof-of-Stake.
This guide compares their architectures, speed, finality, and design philosophies.
1. Introduction
Kaspa and Sui are modern Layer-1 networks designed for high throughput and fast settlement.
Kaspa achieves this with a decentralized Proof-of-Work blockDAG, allowing multiple blocks to be created and confirmed every second.
Sui achieves scalability through parallel, object-based execution and Byzantine Fault Tolerant Proof-of-Stake, enabling fast smart contract processing.
This article breaks down how DAG-based block production compares with Sui’s object-oriented execution engine.
2. Core Architecture Differences
| Feature | Kaspa | Sui |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Proof-of-Work | Delegated Proof-of-Stake |
| Data Structure | BlockDAG | Object-oriented ledger |
| Execution Model | UTXO-like | Move-based programmable objects |
| Scalability Approach | Many blocks in parallel | Parallel execution of independent objects |
| Finality | Probabilistic (~1–2s) | Deterministic (<1s in many cases) |
Kaspa Architecture (BlockDAG)
Kaspa’s blockDAG allows blocks to be produced simultaneously.
GHOSTDAG ranks blocks into a canonical order, enabling fast PoW without orphan waste.
Sui Architecture (Object-Oriented)
Sui tracks objects, not accounts.
Transactions modify specific objects.
Independent objects can be processed in parallel, dramatically increasing throughput.
3. Execution & Smart Contracts
Kaspa Execution Model
Kaspa currently focuses on payments and settlement.
Execution is simple and UTXO-like, without full smart contracts (planned for future upgrades).
Sui Execution Model
Sui uses the Move language, originally from the Diem project.
Key features:
- each asset is an on-chain object
- objects are owned, shared, or immutable
- transactions update objects directly
- parallel execution happens when transactions touch different objects
This makes Sui extremely efficient for high-volume, object-specific operations, such as gaming, asset transfers, and stateful dApps.
4. Speed Comparison
| Metric | Kaspa | Sui |
|---|---|---|
| Block Time | ~1 second | Sub-second (checkpointing) |
| Parallelism | Multi-block DAG | Parallel object execution |
| Throughput | Scales with propagation | Scales with object independence |
| Latency | ~1s to confidence | Very low for simple txs |
Kaspa Speed
Kaspa produces blocks every second and can scale beyond this due to its DAG structure.
Finality confidence arrives within 1–2 seconds.
Sui Speed
Sui focuses on execution speed:
simple transactions finalise extremely fast, often in under one second.
Throughput increases naturally when many unrelated objects are updated concurrently.
5. Finality: PoW vs PoS Approaches
| Finality Aspect | Kaspa | Sui |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Probabilistic PoW via blue score | Deterministic PoS via BFT |
| Typical Finality | ~1–2 seconds | Near-instant |
| Reorg Risk | Very low with high blue score | Practically zero after commit |
Kaspa offers strong probabilistic finality backed by Proof-of-Work weight.
Sui delivers deterministic finality using validator consensus rounds.
6. Security Model
| Property | Kaspa (PoW) | Sui (PoS) |
|---|---|---|
| Security Source | Hashpower | Staked tokens |
| Entry Barrier | Anyone with hardware | Requires stake/delegation |
| Censorship Resistance | Very strong | Strong but validator-dependent |
| Attack Cost | Electricity + hardware | Stake majority capture |
Kaspa emphasizes open participation.
Sui emphasizes validator coordination and economic incentives.
7. Use Case Positioning
Kaspa Strengths
- Extremely fast PoW payments
- Highly decentralized mining ecosystem
- DAG allows scaling without sacrificing PoW purity
- Near-instant settlement for value transfers
Sui Strengths
- Advanced smart contract platform
- Built for high-volume apps and games
- Parallel execution suits complex state machines
- Developer-friendly Move language
These strengths point to very different target audiences.
8. Who Each Network Is Designed For
| Category | Kaspa | Sui |
|---|---|---|
| Payments | Excellent | Good |
| Smart Contracts | Limited (for now) | Excellent |
| Gaming & Assets | Not primary focus | Highly optimized |
| Enterprise Use Cases | Simple, secure settlement | Complex workflows & object models |
| Decentralization Priority | Very high | Medium–high |
Sui is a scalable smart contract and application platform.
9. Summary — DAG vs Object-Oriented Execution
| Feature | Kaspa (BlockDAG) | Sui (Object Execution) |
|---|---|---|
| Core Idea | Parallel block production | Parallel object processing |
| Consensus | Proof-of-Work | Delegated Proof-of-Stake |
| Finality | Probabilistic but fast | Deterministic and fast |
| Strength | Payments & settlement | Smart contracts & dApps |
| Parallel Scaling | More blocks per second | More objects processed concurrently |
| Philosophy | Minimalist, decentralized | Programmable, developer-centric |
Both networks scale horizontally, but in fundamentally different layers:
- Kaspa scales at the block-production level
- Sui scales at the execution layer
10. Conclusion
Kaspa and Sui represent two innovative but contrasting approaches to blockchain scalability.
Kaspa uses a Proof-of-Work blockDAG to achieve fast, decentralized settlement with near-instant transaction confidence.
Sui uses an object-based, parallel execution model to scale complex smart contracts and high-throughput applications.
Both deliver exceptional speed through parallelism — but Kaspa focuses on decentralized payments, while Sui focuses on advanced, programmable applications.