Crypto billionaire Justin Sun, known for his substantial spending on unique experiences and assets, has publicly stated his willingness to pay Elon Musk $30 million for a private conversation. This offer follows Sun's history of significant expenditures, including paying $6.2 million for Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped banana artwork and $4.6 million for a dinner with Warren Buffett.
Sun, the founder of the TRON blockchain, also previously spent over $40 million on $TRUMP coins and was noted as the wealthiest guest at a private dinner gala hosted by President Donald Trump.
"If I could spend an hour alone chatting with Elon Musk, I would be willing to pay him $30 million," Sun wrote on social media.
Who is Justin Sun?
Justin Sun is the founder of TRON, a blockchain network recognized for its high transaction throughput and its role as a settlement layer for stablecoins, decentralized finance, and on-chain payments. He also acquired BitTorrent, integrating it into the TRON ecosystem and extending its global reach.
TRON is consistently among the most active blockchains based on transaction volume. Sun himself has emerged as one of the most prominent and, at times, controversial figures in the cryptocurrency space.
Forbes estimates Sun's net worth at $8.5 billion, ranking him among the wealthiest individuals globally.
Sun is also recognized for his tendency to spend large sums of money for symbolic gestures. In 2024, he purchased Maurizio Cattelan's artwork Comedian, famously a banana taped to a wall, for $6.2 million. He described the piece as representing value, absurdity, and attention within contemporary markets.
The $4.6 Million Dinner with Warren Buffett
Sun's most widely publicized acquisition occurred in 2019 when he won a charity auction for lunch with Warren Buffett, a notable critic of Bitcoin, for $4,567,888. After a period of delays and anticipation, the dinner took place in January 2020 in Omaha, Nebraska.
In a reflective post on Medium, Sun described the meeting as "one of the best moments of my life."
During the dinner, Sun presented Buffett with several gifts, including a smartphone equipped with various cryptocurrencies.
"And of course, a Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 with TRON blockchain embedded, loaded with 1 Bitcoin, 1,930,830 TRX, 100 BTT, 100 WIN, and 100 TRC20-USDT," Sun wrote, noting that the quantity of TRX was chosen to correspond with Buffett's birthday.
Sun also conducted a live blockchain transaction at the table.
"45.67888 TRX was instantly transferred," he recounted. "Upon witnessing the completion of the transfer, Mr. Buffett was delighted and said blockchain has its value."
Buffett on Blockchain, Bitcoin, and Payments
Although Buffett maintained his skepticism regarding Bitcoin as an investment, Sun reported that the billionaire distinguished between cryptocurrency assets and the underlying blockchain technology.
"Mr. Buffett said blockchain has its value," Sun stated. "There are a lot of incredible companies in the payment market, and it has huge demands."
According to Sun, Buffett acknowledged that blockchain technology was poised to have "a disruptive effect on the future of payments," even as he continued to favor traditional productive assets over cryptocurrencies.
Why Elon Musk is the Next Target
Sun's expressed interest in Elon Musk aligns with a similar rationale.
Musk holds a unique and influential position within the technology and cryptocurrency spheres, significantly shaping discussions around artificial intelligence, payments, energy, and decentralization. His public statements have also periodically impacted crypto markets.
Sun has previously shared that Buffett himself characterized Musk as "a great entrepreneur," despite having reservations about Tesla as an investment.
Sun now appears keen to engage directly with Musk, suggesting that a private conversation could hold a value surpassing that of any financial asset.