Sun Yuchen on the cover of Asia Weekly again: 14 years, the "Peking University Dream" ignites the blockchain journey

Recently, TRON founder Justin Sun graced the cover of Asia Weekly for the first time in 14 years, chronicling his legendary journey from a Peking University prodigy to a global crypto pioneer. In 2011, he made a stunning debut with the "Peking University Dream"; today, the number of users he leads at TRON has surpassed 310 million, with a circulation of TRC20-USDT reaching $80 billion, occupying a core position in the stablecoin market. This not only marks his personal glamorous transition from academia to the global stage but also highlights the leading light of Chinese technological power in the wave of the digital economy.

From Peking University Prodigy to Global Crypto Pioneer: Justin Sun's Transformation Journey

Justin Sun's extraordinary path began at Peking University. In 2011, at the age of 21, he graduated early with the top score in the History Department and appeared on the cover of Asia Weekly alongside Jiang Fangzhou, with the report titled "Peking University's Justin Sun's Dream," documenting his academic talent and social insights. During his time at Peking University, he not only excelled academically but also published commentary articles during his internship at Southern Weekly, showcasing his keen thoughts on social issues, which made the young Justin Sun stand out.

In 2013, Justin Sun entered the University of Pennsylvania in the United States to pursue a master's degree, where he was introduced to the concept of blockchain technology. In 2014, he became the Chief Representative of Ripple Labs for Greater China, bringing the concept of blockchain to China and becoming one of the evangelists of blockchain in the country. In 2017, he founded TRON, dedicated to building a decentralized global platform. In a 2025 interview with Asia Weekly, Justin Sun reflected on his early "internet celebrity" experience, emphasizing the importance of an open mindset in entrepreneurship, stating, "The times have proven the value of blockchain."

By 2025, Justin Sun had already become one of the most watched entrepreneurs in the crypto industry. At the TOKEN2049 summit in Dubai, he proposed the idea that "blockchain allows value to flow freely," which received widespread recognition. In March, he appeared on the global cover of the renowned business publication Forbes, highlighting his influence on the global crypto industry, becoming the second Chinese person to grace the cover of Forbes after Jack Ma. From Peking University to the international stage, Justin Sun's journey serves as a model for young Chinese entrepreneurs.

TRON: The Chinese Power Building the Cornerstone of Digital Finance

The rise of a series of Chinese crypto projects represented by TRON showcases the foresight and strategic strength of entrepreneurs like Justin Sun in the crypto industry. Since its founding in 2017, TRON has grown into a leading public blockchain globally. As of July 2025, its user base has surpassed 310 million, with a total value locked (TVL) in its ecosystem reaching $23 billion, and the on-chain circulation of USDT exceeding $800 billion, making it one of the most important infrastructures in the crypto industry. TRON, with its efficient and low-cost transaction characteristics, widely serves cross-border payments, remittance settlements, and decentralized finance (DeFi). In Southeast Asia, TRON has become the payment choice for millions of users and merchants, processing a large number of transactions daily. In Brazil, Argentina, and Africa, TRON's USDT, with low transfer costs and second-level confirmation speeds, helps small and medium-sized enterprises and individual users cope with currency value fluctuations, becoming a reliable value intermediary for daily economic activities.

TRON is one of the world's important providers of inclusive financial services. In emerging markets where traditional financial services are scarce, TRON opens the door to finance for unbanked populations through blockchain technology. In Africa, users leverage TRON's USDT for low-cost remittances and consumption, significantly enhancing their convenience of life. TRON also achieves efficient interconnection with other public chains like Solana through cross-chain technology, with plans to expand to more ecosystems in the future, building a "digital highway" for global payments.

While developing, TRON continuously enhances its compliance and security levels. In 2024, TRON, in collaboration with Tether and TRM Labs, established the T3 Financial Crime Task Force, freezing over $160 million in illegal funds, setting an industry benchmark. The native token of the TRON network, TRX, submitted an application for an ETF listing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by Canary Capital in April 2025, aiming to provide investors with price exposure and additional returns through holding and staking TRX, marking further integration of blockchain technology with traditional finance.

Recently, TRON, which leads in the field of USD stablecoin settlements, saw its native token TRX adopted as a strategic reserve asset by Nasdaq-listed company SRM. Justin Sun stated in an exclusive interview with Asia Weekly that this move will propel TRON to become a pioneer in the listing of crypto assets in the U.S. stock market, saying, "We will continue to explore more similar ways to promote the broader acceptance of the TRON ecosystem in global mainstream markets." TRON also facilitated the entry of the USD1 stablecoin, supported by the Trump family, onto its network, leveraging compliance resources and technological advantages to enrich its ecosystem matrix.

The TRON ecosystem is vibrant, giving birth to numerous DeFi, NFT, and metaverse applications, attracting a large number of developers to join the wave of innovation. In an interview with Asia Weekly, Justin Sun expressed optimism about Hong Kong's potential in the stablecoin sector, stating it could become "the core settlement layer for global financial transactions." He also mentioned that TRON is committed to enhancing global financial inclusivity, serving groups underserved by traditional finance. From Peking University to the world, Justin Sun and TRON have written a magnificent chapter of Chinese technology in the blockchain era through technological innovation and market expansion.