SUI, that Solana competitor everyone keeps overlooking, is suddenly receiving serious attention from some heavy hitters.

Goldman Sachs alum Raoul Pal has essentially told everyone that it's about to go parabolic, and he's not the only big brain turning bullish.

The Layer 1 blockchain is showing all the technical and fundamental signs of being ready to send it.

Raoul Pal's Bullish Take

Raoul Pal, who used to work on the desk at Goldman, is telling anyone who will listen that SUI is "knocking on heaven's door" right now.

He's watching the TD Sequential Indicator – a tool traders use to spot potential reversals – as the big tell.

According to Pal, SUI is on the verge of breaking out of a downward channel that has been keeping the price suppressed, similar to an altcoin in a bear market.

When former Goldman Sachs employees start drawing lines on charts and getting excited, it's usually time to pay attention.

The Technical Setup Looks Juicy

Trader Cheds has his eyes locked on the $2.50 level as the "long trigger."

Break that resistance, and SUI could pull a Solana 2021 move that has everyone wondering why they didn't ape in earlier.

Meanwhile, crypto Twitter's favorite Dutchman, Michaël van de Poppe, is pointing out that SUI just bounced off key support on the three-day chart, as if it had hit a trampoline.

That's the kind of price action that makes technical analysts wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat of excitement.

The DeFi Numbers Are Impressive

Chart astrology is one thing, but SUI's fundamentals in DeFi appear equally strong, justifying the potential move.

It's now capturing about 10% of the total value locked in Bitcoin DeFi (BTCfi), which is basically what all the cool kids are building these days.

SUI ranks among the top six blockchains for DeFi activity – not bad for a newcomer.

Nearly $6 billion in DeFi trading volume flowed through SUI last month, a figure that prompts VCs to call founders frantically, asking what they know about the network.

Van de Poppe summed it up: "Once the markets are turning back into an uptrend, the money will flow back into the ones that have shown strength. SUI is one of them."

VanEck Is Calling For A 358% Move

Not to be outdone by retail analysts, institutional giant VanEck just dropped a forecast that would make even the most jaded crypto trader blush.

They're calling for SUI to blast past $10 during this bull cycle – a casual 358% move from current prices.

Keep in mind that this is coming from the same firm that manages billions in traditional assets.

Their entire thesis hinges on Bitcoin reaching $180K and Ethereum surpassing $6K, which would create the mother of all altcoin seasons.

The Current State Of Play

As of right now, SUI is changing hands at $2.18, up 4% in the last day, while the rest of the market takes a breather.

It's sitting at that perfect spot where it could either absolutely rip higher or make everyone look stupid for being bullish.

However, with technical signals, DeFi adoption, and institutional backing all aligning, the setup is looking better than that of the average memecoin launch.

The Million Dollar Question

SUI is standing at the crossroads, and the next move could define its entire trajectory for this market cycle.

If it smashes through those resistance levels that have been holding it down, we could see the kind of vertical price action that turns modest positions into down payments on houses.

The combination of strong on-chain metrics and institutional interest is exactly what preceded some of the biggest altcoin runs in previous cycles.

So is SUI the next Solana? The charts and the smart money are starting to think so.