Justin Sun wishes he could travel more. But there’s too much to do.
“There are too many exciting things happening in crypto every week,” he said in a December interview with CoinDesk at home in Hong Kong. “I don’t really take vacation time. It’s hard to get away for a week.”
If Sun did take an extended vacation, it’d probably be to Mars, he said. But only for a two-way trip.
“I think the only thing [that] may change my mind on crypto is Mars exploration,” he said.
TRON’s founder says crypto trading would be tough on the red planet due to its distance from Earth. “I’m not going to die on Mars.”
However, trading on Mars wouldn’t rival the difficulties faced on Coinbase back in 2013. During those early days, order books were thin, and trading lacked the sophisticated matching engines we have today.
“In 2013, if you wanted to sell Bitcoin on Coinbase, they made you wait a week to find out if it sold,” he recalled. “You had to set a price range, and they would notify you later about the sale and final price.”
Everything Crypto
You can see why Sun doesn’t have time for travel.
The TRON founder is relentless. Since founding the blockchain in 2017, Sun has established himself as one of the most influential figures in Asian crypto. His X account boasts 3.7 million followers, and TRON supports 125 million active users. Daily trading volume on the network exceeds $50 billion in USDT.
Around Sun, there’s an entire universe of affiliated and advised companies, including HTX (exchange), BitGo (custody), and Rainberry (formerly BitTorrent Inc., which has a crypto connection despite being a P2P file-sharing service).
Yet, when CoinDesk arranged an interview with Sun, the aim was to explore whether the face of DeFi in Asia had interests beyond crypto.
Surely, there’s more to the man than digital assets, right?
Ten minutes in, we realized we gave up.
For Sun, everything in life touches crypto, and crypto permeates every facet of existence.
Even art.
Sun, an avid collector, owns works by Picasso and Warhol. He recently purchased and consumed a $6.2 million banana that was part of an artwork titled “Comedian,” which humorously critiques the concept of modern, expensive art.
This experience further unfolded into a metaphor for Bitcoin.
“The banana taped to the wall is not about the physical artwork itself. It’s a concept, an image, rather than something tangible,” he explained.
“When I first learned about bitcoin, I thought it was cool because you can pass customs without anyone knowing you’re carrying wealth. It’s freedom. The banana has the same effect,” he continued.
Except, if someone eats it, as Sun did.
“This kind of conceptual art is new to regulation. It’s not about the physical piece. It’s about the concept,” he said. “Regulators don’t know how to handle it, just like they don’t know how to handle crypto. No matter what laws or rules you impose, you can’t stop someone from taping a banana to a wall.”
Gaming is Not Escapism
Back in reality, Sun has a soft spot for the Caribbean, largely due to his fascination with Tropico, a world-building simulation game that immerses him as a virtual dictator ruling during the Cold War. He emphasizes a stance of geopolitical neutrality.
“I run a neutral island, pleasing both the U.S. and the Soviet Union by providing each an island for their military bases,” he remarked. “Because, why not? They pay me for it.”
Sun identifies himself as a PC enthusiast, favoring Steam over console gaming. Besides Tropico, he enjoys playing Civilization IV and once spent 24 hours engrossed in the game.
“One more turn, one more turn,” he kept saying, relishing its addictive nature that mirrors his real-world endeavors.
Not everyone embraces Justin Sun in the crypto community, yet few can resist watching his every move.
“Justin Sun is like a Game of Thrones episode,” he asserts. “No matter what you think of him, you need to keep watching.”
Recently, he stirred controversy among bitcoin proponents with his investment in BitGo, known for supporting Wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC), a piece of trading infrastructure enhancing liquidity for bitcoin in DeFi.
Almost immediately after the announcement, Sun faced a barrage of criticism from those who claimed vested interests.
Coinbase subsequently delisted Sun’s version, citing its “listing standards,” leading to a courtroom confrontation between Sun and Coinbase.
In response, BitGo’s CEO Mike Belshe labeled Sun’s detractors as “intellectually dishonest,” suggesting they were motivated by their tokens.
Returning to the Game of Thrones analogy, Sun likens his experience to the show’s early twists. Viewers were led to believe that Ned Stark would be a leading character – until his shocking demise in the first season.
“I thought, ‘This must be a mistake. Someone will come and say it’s all a misunderstanding.’ But no…he was really gone!” Sun reminisces about his viewing experience.
This unexpected storytelling captivated audiences, elevating Game of Thrones as one of the highest-rated shows in HBO’s history, outpacing even The Sopranos.
To truly understand – and assess – Justin Sun, one might need to wait until the final episode plays out.
