From Peking University Scholar to TRON Founder, How Justin Sun Won Trump's Favor

Recently, a piece of news has caused a stir in the crypto community: U.S. President Trump is considering appointing Justin Sun, founder of TRON, as a crypto advisor in his new administration. This unconfirmed rumor has sparked curiosity about this young entrepreneur. After all, how did a 90s-born Chinese-American entrepreneur catch the attention of U.S. politics at such a young age, and what stories are hidden behind this?

The Transformation of a Rebellious Teenager: How Justin Sun Went from “Three-Minute Enthusiasm” to Peking University Scholar

Justin Sun’s life is full of dramatic twists. At age 9, he read about Go prodigy Chang Hao in a newspaper and impulsively begged his parents to let him learn Go in Wuhan. Young and spirited, he stubbornly insisted “I have to go,” and moved south. After three years in Wuhan, he realized one thing—he wasn’t cut out for chess.

Back at school, his rebellious streak remained. Once struggling in physics, he gave up science and turned to liberal arts, immersing himself in the works of Wang Xiaobo and Han Han. Unlike classmates buried in exam questions, Sun aimed to change his fate through literature. After three years of little attention, at 17, he finally won first prize in the New Concept Composition Contest.

This award opened a new door. A professor from Peking University’s Chinese Department saw his work and invited him to join their independent admissions program, which allowed him to be admitted with 20 points below the standard college entrance exam cutoff. With only five months left, Sun studied tirelessly, eventually receiving an offer from Peking University.

From learning Go to attending Peking University, and later venturing into business, Sun has always shown a trait of “changing tastes”—daring to give up and switch directions. This trait continued to define his university years.

Studying in the U.S. and a Shift in Thinking: From Academic Dreams to Business Ambitions

In 2011, at age 21, Sun graduated from Peking University. Five top U.S. universities extended offers to him. He ultimately chose the University of Pennsylvania, where he began taking business school courses, joined investment clubs, and participated in startup projects.

Those years in the U.S. were pivotal for his worldview. He once believed that academic work was the noblest pursuit, capable of advancing society. But after exposure to Wall Street, he saw that history majors’ salaries rarely exceeded $100,000, sometimes even less than Wall Street newcomers. The harsh reality made him reconsider—how could he truly unlock wealth?

A casual remark from an investment veteran changed his trajectory. The senior suggested trying virtual currencies and stocks. As a student with no money, Sun decided to gamble—using his remaining tuition funds to buy Tesla stocks and cryptocurrencies, which were then obscure.

The First Fortune in the Crypto Wave

2011 was the early days of cryptocurrencies. Many believed they wouldn’t amount to much, but Sun, with sharp instincts, chose to bet on virtual currencies—believing in their future. He even prepared for the worst: “If I lose, I lose. I’ll just work part-time in the second half of the year.”

Fortune favors the bold. Soon, cryptocurrencies experienced their first major surge. Prices soared from $13 to $1,147, multiplying dozens of times. Tesla stocks also rose significantly. Sun overnight made tens of times his investment, becoming a millionaire.

This windfall didn’t stop him. After success in investing, he became even more interested in cryptocurrencies, even giving up the chance to pursue a PhD in U.S. law to join a digital payments company in San Francisco. Over a few years, he gained solid technical knowledge and industry experience.

Returning to China for Entrepreneurship and the Birth of TRON

At 24, Sun decided to return to China with his tech and early investment gains. He founded Ruibo Technology (a decentralized clearing system company) and became the Greater China chief representative of the San Francisco-based digital payments firm.

Lack of connections and resources was a challenge, but he persisted. Traveling to meet investors, he in 2015 gained entry to Jack Ma’s Hupan University’s first class. Among the students, he was the only 90s-born participant, alongside well-known entrepreneurs like Wang Xiaofei of Jiujiu.

Shortly after, Sun founded TRON. At that time, holding 6 billion TRX, he made a bold move—selling all his tokens in a gamble, instantly doubling his funds to 12 billion. In 2018, he announced the acquisition of BitTorrent, drawing global crypto community attention.

The $4.56 Million Buffett Lunch and Sun’s Marketing Storm

If BitTorrent acquisition was Sun’s first “public move,” then the Buffett lunch auction was when he truly became a public figure.

On May 27, 2019, the charity auction for Warren Buffett’s lunch began. Starting bid was just $25,000, but in fierce bidding among global business elites, the final price hit $4,567,888 (about 31.45 million RMB). The winner was revealed as a mysterious anonymous account. Three days later, the identity was unveiled—Sun was the bidder.

This huge sum made Sun a global focus. Buffett himself congratulated and expressed anticipation. But the story took a turn. The scheduled lunch on July 25 in Silicon Valley was suddenly canceled two days prior. Sun claimed he was hospitalized with a kidney stone.

The news caused a stir. Some saw it as a marketing stunt to boost crypto visibility; others expressed sympathy. A year later, Sun made up the lunch, but the “absence” controversy lingered. Many netizens viewed it as a carefully planned traffic grab, costing him some reputation.

Political Shifts and the Behind-the-Scenes of the Crypto Advisor Rumor

In 2024, during the U.S. presidential election, Trump’s statements and policies increasingly positioned him as a “crypto-friendly” figure. Notably, over 80% of his business team are Asian-Americans—something industry insiders have noted.

Against this backdrop, rumors surfaced that Sun might be recruited by Trump as a crypto policy advisor. Some industry insiders pointed out that during the 2024 campaign, Sun publicly expressed support for Trump multiple times, even calling him a “better choice” for the crypto industry.

Though the appointment has not been officially confirmed, it has sparked industry reflection. If true, it would mark another major upgrade in Sun’s career—from entrepreneur to policy advisor—signifying increased influence of the crypto sector in policy circles.

The Logic Behind the Boldness and Judgment: The Formula for Success

Looking at Sun’s entire growth trajectory, several keywords recur: daring to change, seizing opportunities, quick decision-making.

From a boy with “three-minute enthusiasm,” to a literature dreamer in college, to a business pioneer in the U.S., Sun has demonstrated remarkable adaptability. More importantly, he’s unbound by the past, willing to start from zero in new fields. When he saw the potential of cryptocurrencies, he was ready to invest all his remaining tuition; when TRON scaled up, he sold everything for profit; when new political opportunities arose, he adjusted swiftly.

Behind these decisions lies a keen market sense and accurate judgment of trends. As Sun himself says, this era is full of opportunities—what’s lacking is the ability to recognize and seize them. He understood this early on in his youth and proved it through over two decades of entrepreneurship.

Whether the Trump recruitment rumor is true or not, for Sun, it’s another opportunity for attention. But unlike the Buffett lunch incident, he now has enough achievements and influence—no longer needing sensational events to attract eyes. His value is reflected in TRON and the broader crypto industry’s development.

Perhaps this is the most authentic story of Sun Yuchen—a young man daring to make choices, take risks, and find his place amid the waves of different eras.