Two months ago, Sun Yuchen just celebrated his 34th birthday.
Before turning 30, his halo came from a long list of dazzling titles: Peking University, (Asia Weekly) cover figure, Ivy League graduate (University of Pennsylvania), World Economic Forum Global Young Leader, the first and only post-90s student at Alibaba's Hupan University...
Starting a business at 22 while studying abroad, returning at 24 as the chief representative of Ripple Labs in Greater China to establish Ruibo Company and serve as CEO, named 'China's Internet Annual New Talent' by CNTV at 25, founded the blockchain platform TRON at 27, selected for Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia the same year, and bought a lunch with Buffett at 29...
However, alongside his dazzling achievements, he has also been in the whirlpool of public opinion, with media and industry insiders raising numerous controversies about his bold business tactics, frequent self-promotion, and the compliance of his projects. Some praise him for being a pioneer, while others criticize him for being too ostentatious, yet he seems indifferent to these external evaluations, whether positive or negative.
You will find that each controversy, each news headline, instead becomes part of his personal brand construction.
Nine years ago, in 2015, a reporter wrote in an interview with The Paper: 'The 25-year-old Sun Yuchen is undoubtedly a standout among post-90s entrepreneurs; he is both talented and controversial. The doubts mainly focus on his constantly changing life trajectory and the almost obsessive passion he shows after starting his business.'
Now, 34-year-old Sun Yuchen remains active at the forefront of the blockchain industry, with every move seemingly under the spotlight and garnering attention. This almost obsessive enthusiasm pushes him to keep moving forward.
Liberland 'Prime Minister' Sun Yuchen
Recently, Sun Yuchen welcomed a new title — 'Prime Minister' Sun Yuchen.
On October 10, according to a document disclosed by Twitter (X platform) blogger @tier10k, the unrecognized microstate of Liberland announced its latest parliamentary election results. Sun Yuchen won in this election and was nominated as acting prime minister by Liberland President Vit Jedlička.
On October 11, Sun Yuchen confirmed his election as Prime Minister of Liberland on social media.
Which country is Liberland?
According to Wikipedia, Liberland's full name is the Liberland Republic, literally meaning 'land of freedom.' It is a private country established on April 13, 2015, by Czech politician Vit Jedlička, claiming sovereignty over a territory called 'Upper Siga' on the west bank of the Danube River, bordering Serbia and Croatia.
Sun Yuchen stated that Liberland is not only a country but also a manifestation of a political philosophy advocating freedom, minimal government intervention, and personal autonomy.
Sun Yuchen also described the vision of Liberland becoming a symbol of global liberal thought, comparing it to the spiritual homeland of liberals. He emphasized that Liberland is the first country where the relationship with citizens is based on shared principles and values rather than blood or geographical boundaries, all based on voluntary participation and mutual respect.
He aims to actively promote the idea of a small government, not only within Liberland but also as a model for the world. He stated that the success of Liberland could inspire other countries to adopt liberal principles and demonstrate that minimal government can bring stability and prosperity without excessive regulation or coercion.
This latest appointment undoubtedly brings to mind Sun Yuchen's experience as Grenada's permanent representative and special ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2021.
Sun Yuchen's actions are consistently filled with unexpected elements, often challenging people's perceptions of traditional entrepreneurs. His frequent crossovers and bold moves not only surprise the public but also often provoke teasing and heated discussions.
Just as some joke: 'Brother Sun is back again.'
The 'Scrutinized' Sun Yuchen
Whether elected as a liberal prime minister or frequently creating topics in the cryptocurrency world and global politics, it will spark a lot of discussion and controversy.
Supporters believe he has broken traditional rules and boundaries, promoting the combination of liberalism and innovation. Critics argue that he is an opportunist who manipulates public opinion through 'traffic' while navigating the edges of rules.
Challenging the rules seems to have become his habitual route. It is this continuous challenge to traditional authority and systems that positions him as a constantly scrutinized center. People can't help but ask: Is he truly fighting for the ideals of freedom, or is he accumulating more capital and influence for himself?
Sometimes, the media tends to view him as a single image, which simplifies his actions and words, affecting the public's comprehensive understanding of him and making discussions one-sided, unable to deeply explore his influence in the industry.
While we focus on his achievements, we also question his motives. For someone who has constantly challenged traditional authority and systems, people naturally want to know what his ultimate goal is.
Sun Yuchen's career can be seen as a continuous game, and his attempts and explorations in different fields also reveal the challenges faced by post-90s entrepreneurs.
Thus, Sun Yuchen is not only a highly followed public figure but also an individual struggling between self-expression and public expectations. Understanding a person requires a deeper perspective, transcending simple labels and biases to truly grasp their complexity.
I want to use some interesting perspectives to dissect Sun Yuchen from other levels.
'Model Worker' Sun Yuchen
Last month, the community spontaneously began to 'flood' Sun Yuchen, calling him a model worker in the Web3 field, a true Builder.
You will find that Sun Yuchen has been active in the blockchain industry for over a decade.
Those peers with him have either retreated behind the scenes or gone into hiding, starting to travel.
Recently, Ethereum founder Vitalik became the focal point due to his romantic life, while the single Sun Yuchen became another hot topic in the community.
Sun Yuchen mentioned in a sharing session that he hardly has any holidays. Whether it's a workday or a holiday, he is on standby 24 hours.
In a podcast episode titled (Cheating), the host asked him: 'What is your work and life philosophy?'
Sun Yuchen responded: 'Everything I have can give way to work. I think at this stage, work is the only important thing, and everything else can be sacrificed for it. I train every day like a professional athlete, pursuing the best state.'
Many people are curious if he doesn't sleep because he is always energetic, spending 24 hours on social media, showing high agility towards any trending topic.
In that podcast, he mentioned that in a sense, he wants to be like an artificial intelligence or a robot, aiming to minimize emotional fluctuations as much as possible.
'Starting a company is my only hobby.'
He has an immense passion for entrepreneurship and business, almost investing all his time and energy into it.
Consequently, from the external perception perspective, Sun Yuchen's personality seems less flamboyant.
He is now solely focused on doing what he needs to do, such as improving TRON and leading Huobi HTX 'back to the top three.'
In August, Sun Yuchen attended the 11th anniversary themed event of Huobi HTX and shared his outlook on Huobi HTX. He believes that to some extent, the 11-year operation of Huobi HTX is a kind of obsession.
'The Exceptionally Criticized' Sun Yuchen
Later, you will find that many people in the crypto circle criticize Sun Yuchen, but criticizing Sun Yuchen is an exception.
At first, everyone focused on what Sun Yuchen bought and sold, speculating whether 'Brother Sun' would sell off. Over time, this attention gradually evolved into what the community calls the 'wealth password.' Sun Yuchen's investment actions, especially the timing of his purchases, have become an important basis for many investors to judge market trends.
Although he occasionally 'turns over' (like being stuck in Ethereum previously), based on community feedback, his success rate is still quite high.
Thus, there is a saying in the community: 'You can say Brother Sun cheats, but you can't say Brother Sun is bad.'
Sometimes Sun Yuchen sees himself as an attacker, always launching attacks at critical moments, much like the offensive style of his favorite football club AC Milan, but he also understands defense, like the calm and precision of Maldini as a defender. In the face of doubts and challenges, Sun Yuchen often withstands all external attacks and criticisms in unique ways.
His bold and brave expression of style has gradually become more restrained and cautious.
This change reflects not only his sensitivity to external voices but also indicates that in a rapidly changing industry environment, he understands the consequences of his actions.
These changes are both contradictory and complementary.
The trends of the times combined with Sun Yuchen's abilities have created his current status.
The reason for his controversies may be because he stands at the forefront of the industry, and his success comes from his ability to continuously innovate and seize opportunities in a rapidly changing market.
'The Comeback Kid' Sun Yuchen
In his youth, Sun Yuchen enjoyed reading the works of Wang Xiaobo and Li Ao. Wang Xiaobo's humor and depth, along with Li Ao's sharpness and candor, had a profound impact on the young Sun Yuchen.
Wang Xiaobo reminisced about a pig in his essay (A Unique Pig) that jumped over obstacles like a goat, roamed the rooftop like a cat, refused to be neutered, and could even break free from people's encirclement.
(A unique pig) remains the spiritual idol of this era.
Twenty years after Wang Xiaobo's death, it seems people still cannot escape the fate of 'settling for the status quo,' living a life of 'slowly being hammered down.'
In his youth, Sun Yuchen had already contemplated 'escaping.'
In 2007, the competition for the college entrance examination in Guangdong was still fierce. That year, there were 700,000 candidates, and Peking University had 20 liberal arts spots in Guangdong. In the end, Sun Yuchen scored 650.
Before the exam, Sun Yuchen applied for the Peking University Yuanpei program as his first choice and the Chinese department as his second choice, ultimately being admitted to the Chinese department.
Sun Yuchen himself said that his exam results in his second year of high school were not ideal. In his third year, he spent a year preparing and, together with the extra points from writing, he managed to transfer from a third-tier college to Peking University.
Wang Xiaobo explored the loneliness and rebellion of individuals in that era, while Sun Yuchen's eccentricity represents a different path chosen in a world pursuing norms and conformity. His character can be described as 'extremely quirky.' In entrepreneurship, he garnered attention and resources in unique ways. This style is reflected not only in his business strategies but also in how he shapes his public image.
However, being quirky is not always smooth sailing; this personality brings attention and resources, as well as doubts and criticisms.
In continuous reflection and adjustment, perhaps Sun Yuchen is trying to find a spiritual resonance with the quirky pig in Wang Xiaobo's writing — even in adversity, one must remain true to oneself and bravely pursue their own path.
'Ordinary person' Sun Yuchen
Putting aside all identities, sometimes Sun Yuchen is just an ordinary post-90s person.
He enjoys everything fresh, watching sports, attending Taylor Swift concerts, and watching F1. He even reposts some bloggers' 'find the number' tweets to 'watch the drama.'
Sometimes, Sun Yuchen is an undeniable chatterbox.
Everyone who has interacted with him says that his range of topics is surprisingly broad, and he can talk endlessly about anything.
He talks about 'marriage' in short videos on his social media platform, a person who doesn't really 'date' discusses marriage with great insight.
He reposted a rap song about WEB3 'pushing the dog,' perhaps practicing freestyle alone at home.
He still loves to 'get involved'; wherever there is something to be done, he shows up.
'The Crypto Wave' Sun Yuchen
At the beginning of the article, we wrote about how passionate Sun Yuchen is about the vision for Liberland.
He hopes to make it a spiritual home for liberals, just as the Vatican is for Catholics. Sun Yuchen explained: 'Global liberals may have their own nationalities and identities in different countries, but Liberland will be their ideological home, a place that respects freedom, autonomy, and the concept of voluntary citizen governance.'
Back in the torrent of blockchain and the crypto world, his existence is itself filled with contradictions and conflicts. These controversies and praises seem to serve as a backdrop on the stage of his life.
Does Sun Yuchen really care about these evaluations? When wealth has already surged like a tide, perhaps these public opinions and external views have become 'background noise' in his life, no longer holding substantial influence.
But over time, people gradually understand that life is, as Wang Xiaobo said, a 'slowly hammered process.' These dreams and aspirations will slowly be shattered by reality, ultimately becoming heavy as a cow, making movement difficult.
So, if Sun Yuchen returned to 22, would he not hesitate to choose to start a business again and step into the blockchain crypto wave?
Continued optimism about _Marvin
Data shows that the craze for Meme coins has recently been exceptionally hot, with some projects even achieving hundreds of times gains in a single day.
The main reason behind this phenomenon lies in the community-driven force and cultural penetration of Meme coins.
Investors are often attracted to the stories and entertainment behind these cryptocurrencies, along with the wildly fluctuating prices, something that other traditional crypto assets cannot provide.
Marvin (7055) is referred to as the Musk concept, not just a hype! Musk and his mother have liked the community over 70 times and interacted many times! It is also the only dog among all mentioned by Musk that has not been on BN, and is also the dog Musk has raised for 10 years. Musk tweets to celebrate its birthday every November 1! In a few days, Marvin will turn 10! Expected to be more valued! Worth paying attention to!!
