On March 28, 2025, Beijing time, the blockchain industry ushered in a landmark moment - Sun Yuchen, founder of TRON and global advisor of Huobi HTX, appeared on the cover of the English version of Forbes, becoming another Chinese entrepreneur to appear on the cover of the English version of Forbes after Jack Ma, and the fourth person in the field of crypto exchanges after CZ, SBF, and Brian Armstrong. This young entrepreneur, who Forbes called "the crypto billionaire who helped the Trump family earn $400 million" , showed the world the innovative spirit and global vision of blockchain leaders with his unique personal style and industry influence.
From "rebel" to industry leader: Sun Yuchen's rise to crypto empire
In the cover article of Forbes , the reporter described Sun Yuchen as "youthful, controversial and a billionaire". Born in 1990, this entrepreneur has been known for his bold attempts since he entered the blockchain field. "In my twenties, I just wanted to try everything possible - why not?" Sun Yuchen's confession aptly summarizes his keen sense of smell and action for technological change.
Over the past decade, Justin Sun has built a crypto ecosystem that spans underlying public chains, payment networks, exchanges, and decentralized finance (DeFi). TRON, the wave field he founded, has become one of the fastest growing blockchain networks in the world, with a user base of over 300 million and an average daily transaction volume of over 10 million, ranking among the top three in the industry. This achievement verifies the feasibility of his vision of a "global payment system" and marks a key leap for blockchain technology from proof of concept to large-scale application.
As the global advisor of Huobi HTX, under the leadership of Justin Sun, Huobi HTX was recently selected as one of the "Most Trusted Crypto Exchanges in 2025" by Forbes. The platform's compliance construction, asset security and user experience have been continuously upgraded, becoming a benchmark case for the integration of traditional finance and the crypto world. At the same time, the synergy between TRON, led by Justin Sun, and Huobi HTX is significant, and through technical interoperability and ecological linkage, it promotes the efficient integration of industry resources.
The value of Forbes cover: from visionary to global leader
Sun Yuchen's appearance on the cover is of great significance. He is the second Chinese entrepreneur to appear on the cover of the English version of Forbes after Alibaba founder Jack Ma, and the fourth person in the field of crypto exchanges after Binance's Zhao Changpeng (CZ), FTX founder SBF (Sam Bankman-Fried), and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. Regarding this appearance, Sun Yuchen said on the X platform , "From an entrepreneur with dreams to a leader with global influence, I am honored to be named the 'Billionaire Navigator in the Crypto Field' by Forbes."
Earlier, in the list of "40 Blockchain Entrepreneurs Worth Watching" released by Forbes Portugal, Sun Yuchen ranked second, becoming the only Chinese entrepreneur in the top three, following Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin (V God). This ranking refreshed the highest ranking of Chinese entrepreneurs in the world's top blockchain list. Forbes pointed out that Sun Yuchen has been shortlisted for various lists such as Forbes "30 Under 30 Asia" many times, and is an avid fan of art collection, video games, investment, charity and space exploration. At the end of 2024, Sun Yuchen was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Liberland, reshaping the totem of the crypto world with the spirit of freedom and innovation.
Breakthrough cooperation and industry mission: from the Trump family to technology inclusion
The title of the Forbes cover story points directly to Sun Yuchen's most influential collaboration in recent years - the project with the Trump family has generated more than $400 million in revenue for the latter. It is reported that Sun Yuchen has invested a total of $75 million in the Trump family's cryptocurrency project World Liberty Financial (WLFI), becoming the largest investor in the project. This is not only a model of the combination of encryption technology and mainstream business, but also shows Sun Yuchen's forward-looking layout of market trends: by integrating blockchain technology into cultural IP, social communication and asset digitization scenarios, it promotes the encryption economy from "niche geeks" to "mass inclusiveness".
Faced with the cyclical fluctuations and trust crisis experienced by the crypto industry, Justin Sun emphasized in an interview with Forbes: "Real innovators must adhere to long-termism." Under his leadership, TRON and Huobi HTX have always taken compliance and transparency as the cornerstone of development, and promoted the industry towards maturity through open source technology, community governance and ecological cooperation.
Justin Sun's appearance on the cover of Forbes is not only a highlight of his personal achievements, but also a microcosm of the innovation in the crypto field going mainstream. At a time when technological revolution and industrial transformation are intertwined, the ecosystem represented by TRON and HTX is connecting tradition and the future with an open attitude, writing a new chapter in the digital economy. As Forbes said: "This crypto pioneer from the East is reshaping the rules of the world with code and consensus." When more people begin to understand and embrace the value of blockchain, a more transparent, efficient and inclusive financial and social landscape will surely accelerate.
