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Justin Sun Net Worth: Smart, But Controversial

Justin Sun is a Chinese tech entrepreneur best known for founding TRON, a blockchain-based decentralized platform focused on entertainment. He is also the CEO of BitTorrent, a legal file transfer protocol that he acquired in 2018.

Sun is also a popular figure on social media and rarely hesitates to share his personal views with his followers.

Sun’s net worth in 2024 is: Estimated to be over $1.1 billion.

Facts about Justin Sun

namejustin sun
birthdayJuly 30, 1990
net worth$1.1 billion*
place of birthQinghai, China
educationPeking University and University of Pennsylvania
knownFounder of Tron
Marital StatusThere is no public information about whether he is married or in a relationship.
*As of May 18, 2024

Justin Sun Net Worth and Sources of Wealth

Sun’s net worth is difficult to estimate. Although he is undoubtedly one of the richest people in the cryptocurrency world, there is little information about his personal accounts and undisclosed cryptocurrency holdings.

However, we do know that most of Sun’s wealth comes from ownership. 10-20% of $TRX token supplyThe market capitalization is over $10 billion.

Based on this, Sun’s net worth is estimated to be more than $1.1 billion. However, his actual net worth is It is likely to be much higherThis is because it includes his personal investments or assets held in personal accounts.

Sun’s other ventures and investments include:

  • Shares of BitTorrent and Poloniex (companies acquired after TRON was founded)
  • Participates in $65M funding round for Animoca Brands, one of the world’s leading NFT companies in 2021
  • He also serves as an advisor at HTX, another cryptocurrency exchange.
  • Significant holdings and participation in stablecoin $USDD launch
  • Participated in the recent launch of Dominica Coin ($DMC), the first national token used as fiat currency.
  • Holds NFTs including 1 CryptoPunk, 36 Sandbox NFTs, Bored Ape Yacht Club TRON NFT and TRON Tpunk NFT
  • Investment in art, including: nose Alberto Giacometti (worth $78.4 million), Picasso Nude woman lying with collar (worth $20 million) and works by Andy Warhol. three self portraits (worth $1.5 million)
  • During the 2021 meme stock craze, he invested about $10 million in GameStop and $2 million in AMC.

Early life, education and career

Born on July 30, 1990 in Qinghai Province, China, Sun Yat-sen showed academic talent from an early age. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Peking University in 2011 and a master’s degree in East Asian studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013.

Sun first encountered the cryptocurrency phenomenon while studying at the University of Pennsylvania, which reportedly led to his first Bitcoin investment.

After completing his studies, Sun went to China’s Hupan University to enroll in an entrepreneurship program created by Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba. During the program, Sun completed a thesis titled The Birth of a Decentralized Internet, demonstrating his early interest in cryptocurrencies.

After completing the entrepreneurship program in 2013, Sun joined blockchain technology company Ripple as the company’s first Chinese employee. However, he left the position the following year to launch Peiwo, a voice-based social networking app.

Peiwo soon became a hit, and so did Sun. In 2015, he was named CNTV’s Most Notable New Entrepreneur of the Year, and Forbes added him to Asia’s 30 Under 30 list in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

TRON – Sun’s most profitable venture to date

In 2017, Sun founded TRON, a contract platform that decentralizes finance and software across a variety of sectors. In the same year, he launched the $TRX token (TRON’s native token).

In September 2017, just days before the Chinese government banned ICOs, Sun held an ICO for $TRX, raising approximately $70 million. After the ban, Sun relocated to the United States.

In the same year, Sun launched the TRON Foundation with the purpose of maintaining and developing the TRON network. This foundation later evolved into TRON DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization).

Since then, the TRON network and $TRX have achieved great success. According to data from AMBCrypto, $TRX has 1.6 million daily active users, compared to 968,000 and 617,000 daily active users for BNB chain and Bitcoin, respectively.

Justin Sun and Controversy – Never Far Away

Despite being considered one of the smartest investors in the cryptocurrency industry, Sun’s journey to fame and fortune has not been without controversy. Here are some notable examples:

  • In January 2018, Sun faced plagiarism accusations that the content of his white paper mirrored that of IPFS and Filecoin without proper citation.
  • In 2019, Sun also sparked controversy when it bid $4.57 million to have lunch with Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors in history. The luncheon, which Sun Yat-sen also invited US President Donald Trump to, aroused opposition from the Chinese authorities as it coincided with the US-China trade war. Sun eventually canceled the event, citing health concerns, after Chinese authorities reportedly raided TRON’s Beijing offices and detained six employees. After things calmed down, Sun finally had dinner with Buffett in February 2020.
  • In December 2021, Sun was appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Caribbean nation of Grenada to the World Trade Organization (WTO). This new position came with certain perks, including immunity from criminal prosecution worldwide. Sun Yat-sen is said to have lost his new position after another party won the June 2022 elections in Grenadia.
  • In 2023, TRON faced an SEC lawsuit for manipulative trading practices and unregistered securities. Many see a connection between the timing of Sun losing his position as Grenada’s WTO ambassador and the SEC lawsuit.

Despite these controversies, Sun and TRON each grew their fan and user bases. Sun has 3.5 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), while TRON’s stock price has risen from around $0.020 to over $0.12 in 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Justin Sun make his money?

Sun has made most of his wealth through investments in TRON, the cryptocurrency company he founded, as well as other cryptocurrency companies, including BitTorrent, Poloniex, and HTX (formerly Huobi).

Sun’s holdings of cryptocurrency assets (TRX, BTC, ETH, BTT, USDJ, and USDD) are also a significant source of his wealth.

How much Bitcoin does Justin Sun have?

Sun disclosed his Bitcoin holdings in a post on X (formerly Twitter) in February 2024. According to the post, he holds more than 28,614 bitcoins, worth about $1.6 billion.

Is TRON coin safe?

Yes, TRON is considered a secure network with high availability. It is a decentralized operating system similar to Ethereum. Nonetheless, it is important for investors to know that no system is completely immune from risk.

Therefore, it is important for investors to stay informed about best security practices and follow official guidelines for a safer experience within TRON.

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