From "Marketing Guru" to Encryption Business Leader: Sun Yuchen's Global Ambitions

On July 30, 1990, Sun Yuchen was born in Xining, Qinghai Province. On March 28, 2025, 35 years later, this founder of TRON graced the cover of Forbes magazine, becoming the fourth individual in the encryption field to receive this honor after CZ, SBF, and Brian Armstrong. This event not only affirmed his contributions and global influence in the blockchain field but also drew widespread attention from both the encryption industry and traditional business.

From Controversy to Authoritative Certification

Sun Yuchen's public image has always been controversial. Graduating from the history department of Peking University, encountering Bitcoin during his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and then returning to China to start a business in 2015, his experience has been quite eventful. In the early days, he was seen as a master of hype due to his high-profile statements and "riding the wave" behavior. However, as the encryption market matures, the industry's perception of him has quietly changed.

The "Buffett Lunch Incident" in 2019 truly brought Sun Yuchen into the spotlight. Although it was initially canceled for health reasons, he ultimately had dinner with Buffett in January 2020, discussing topics such as Bitcoin. This event not only raised his profile but also showcased his influence in the encryption field.

In recent years, Sun Yuchen's actions have gained increasing recognition. At the end of 2024, he won the "most expensive banana" at Sotheby's for $6.24 million, paying with cryptocurrency, which sparked reflections on the nature of art. Appearing on the cover of Forbes marks mainstream media's acknowledgment of him and reflects a reevaluation of the values in the encryption industry.

Change in Market Sentiment

Sun Yuchen graced the cover of Forbes, reflecting a fundamental shift in traditional media's attitude towards encryption. From initial neglect and caution to today's acceptance and collaboration, this process not only reflects the development trajectory of the industry but also profoundly influences the public's perception of encryption.

The Financial Times of the UK recently publicly apologized to its readers for its negative coverage of cryptocurrencies over the past fourteen years, further confirming this shift. Forbes chose Sun Yuchen as the cover figure based on a comprehensive assessment of his industry influence, business achievements, and innovation.

The Transformation of Global Business Leaders

Sun Yuchen is gradually achieving an upgrade and transformation from early "high-end speculation" to a technology leader, and then to a "global business leader." His collaboration with the Trump family's encryption project World Liberty Financial (WLFI) not only brings new opportunities to TRON but also showcases his influence in the political and business sectors.

TRON's leading position in the stablecoin market, as well as its collaborations with governments and financial institutions, reflects Sun Yat-sen's strategic vision. He is working to break the traditional perception of "encryption = speculation" and reshape the image of the encryption industry.

The Layout of Political Economy

Sun Yuchen's encryption financial layout has surpassed simple capital linkage and entered the stage of ecological co-construction. TRON is expected to become a technical choice for the U.S. government to improve efficiency, with broad application prospects in areas such as cross-border payments and asset management. The cooperation with WLFI may also promote TRON to become one of the main financial infrastructures for political capital operations in the United States.

Atypical Growth of Post-90s Entrepreneurs

The growth trajectory of Sun Yuchen reflects the underlying logic of the blockchain industry's rapid advancement and also showcases the attempts of entrepreneurs in the Web3 era to reconstruct business ethics. He combined traffic operation, capital games, and technological innovation to create the success of TRON.

Despite the ongoing controversies, Sun Yuchen has always upheld "industry justice". During the TUSD crisis, he stepped in to help, contributing to the stability of the industry. This characteristic of simultaneously embodying contradiction and charm is precisely why he attracts attention.

The "Mainstreaming" of the Encryption World

Sun Yuchen has graced the cover of Forbes, marking the full acceptance of encryption assets by mainstream traditional power institutions. This event may accelerate Huobi HTX's overseas expansion, particularly in the U.S. market.

As a global advisor for Huobi HTX, Sun Yuchen's role in the WLFI project may create policy opportunities for Huobi HTX to conduct business in the US. Forbes has ranked Huobi HTX as one of the most trusted encryption exchanges in the world, further solidifying its position in the industry.

Conclusion: What Kind of Leaders Does the Encryption Industry Need?

The success of Sun Yuchen is not accidental. His layout in public chains, capturing the trends of NFTs and DeFi, as well as efficient capital operations and global acquisitions, demonstrate his keen business acumen and strategic vision. He is adept at leveraging social media to generate traffic, linking his personal brand with projects, and promoting encryption to gain wider attention.

Appearing on the cover of Forbes is like a coming-of-age ceremony for Sun Yuchen and the entire encryption industry. From him, we see the technological idealism, ecological coordination vision, compliance breakthroughs and regulatory dialogue abilities, as well as global resource integration and brand building capabilities that are necessary for leaders in the encryption business.

In a critical period of rapid development in the encryption industry, Sun Yuchen's success provides us with a thought: who can surpass Sun Yuchen?