Sun Yuchen: The crypto maniac who spent 180 million buying a meal
Who is Sun Yuchen? A 'post-90s veteran actor' who can string together stories of reversing fortunes at Peking University, cutting investors in the crypto world, buying overpriced bananas, and winning a lunch with Buffett. Recently, he made headlines again—spending 180 million RMB to top the 'Trump Meme Coin' leaderboard, securing the number one seat for a dinner with the former U.S. president. Some call him the 'Elon Musk of the crypto world,' while others label him the 'King of Cutting Investors,' but he doesn't care at all, as popularity and wealth always seem to rise together.
This guy's life didn't start off high-end. Born in 1990 in Qinghai, he had terrible grades in school, and he managed to sneak into Peking University's Chinese department by studying the tricks of the 'New Concept Composition Contest.' When he got to Peking University, he suddenly leveled up, switched to the History Department and topped the class, then went on to gild himself at the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. If we're talking about real talent, he admits his secret is 'knowing how to hype himself.' Since Peking University, he's understood how to ride the wave of trends and boost his presence, successfully packaging himself as a 'youth opinion leader.'
What truly made him rich is the crypto world. In 2017, he founded TRON and made a fortune by cutting a wave of investors; in 2018, he sold TRX at a high price, cashing out 12 billion, and turned into the 'godfather' of the crypto circle. But his flashy operations go far beyond issuing coins—using one hand to drive up the coin price and collaborating with other big shots to 'swap coins' and then collectively sell off, leaving the market in chaos. The crypto community nicknamed him 'Sun Cut,' meaning 'the speed of cutting investors is so fast it leaves an afterimage.'
If we talk about Sun Yuchen's entertaining consumption, it definitely qualifies for the 'Human Confusing Behavior Awards.' In 2019, he spent 4.57 million USD to buy a lunch with Buffett, only to bail out at the last minute citing 'kidney stones'; in 2024, he splurged 6.2 million USD on a banana taped to a wall (and even posted about it on social media after eating it). Netizens criticized him for being extravagant, but he boldly defended himself: 'This is performance art! You guys don't understand the value of contemporary art!'
But what really shocked people was how he managed to squeeze into Trump's circle of friends. In May 2025, Trump organized a 'Meme Coin Dinner,' where whoever held the most TRUMP coins could get a meal. Sun Yuchen didn't hesitate and swept up 1.43 million TRUMP coins, worth 19.67 million USD (about 140 million RMB), directly topping the leaderboard. Even U.S. lawmakers couldn't stand it and publicly criticized: 'This is a disguised bribe!' But Brother Sun remained calm, calling himself 'Trump's number one fan' while secretly investing 75 million USD into a crypto project for Trump's family. Media reports revealed that 75% of the profits from this operation would go directly into Trump's family pocket—wow, spending money to join a meal and also sending a red envelope to a political bigwig, this business strategy is incredible!
Of course, Sun Yuchen hasn't had it easy all the way. The U.S. SEC has been keeping an eye on him since 2023, accusing him of fraud and market manipulation, nearly leading to a court case this year; veteran players in the crypto circle also criticize him for 'surviving by stoking hype.' But guess what? As soon as Trump took office, regulations were loosened, and even the FBI's investigation was paused. Netizens mocked him for 'hugging big legs,' but he had already thrown out a golden saying: 'The essence of cryptocurrency is a financial revolution. The winner gets to say the rules.'
Now, Sun Yuchen is about to sit at the main table of Trump's dinner, holding the TRON empire, HTX exchange, and a bunch of controversies. Some say he is the 'Jia Yueting of the blockchain era,' while others see him as a 'Chinese-style speculator,' but he might just chuckle and say: 'Who cares? Only money can define history.' As for what this 'crypto tycoon vs. political veteran' dinner will finally discuss? We dare not say, nor do we dare to ask. Anyway, after the meal, Brother Sun will likely brag on Weibo—after all, popularity is his biggest 'currency'.#孙宇晨购得喜剧演员 #比特币