Tron's Founder Justin Sun Gets His Honorary Feature On The Cover of The Cursed Magazine. Will Justin Sun Break The Vicious Cycle?

Justin Sun, the dynamic founder of TRON (TRX) and a prominent figure in the blockchain industry, has landed on the cover of Forbes, earning the title “Crypto’s Billionaire Barker.”

But this might not be a good news for the TRON founder, given how many crypto leaders before him like CZ, Sam Bankman-Fried, all graced Forbes Cover, only to end up in jail.

It seems that all these crypto leaders were under some sort of "Forbes curse", making many wonder if Justin Sun could break the cycle, or is he just the latest name in the so-called Forbes cover curse?

The Forbes Feature: A Deep Dive into Sun’s Impact

Sun celebrated the recognition with a post on X, stating,

“From a visionary to a global force—honored to be featured on Forbes as Crypto’s Billionaire Barker. TRON keeps expanding, fueling a global payment network with over 300 million users. In the long run, decentralization is bound to come out on top".

The Forbes article explores Sun’s bold approach to crypto, from his audacious investments to his knack for staying in the spotlight through both innovation and controversy.

A key highlight of the story surrounds his recent $80 million investment in Donald Trump's cryptocurrency startup, World Liberty Financial. The article stipulates that through Sun's investment, Trump and his family were able to amass an estimated $400 million despite all the struggles the project is facing.

In November 2024, shortly after Trump’s return to the White House, Sun wired $30 million to WLF, describing it as “a strong player in the financial technology space.”

He later doubled down with an additional $45 million investment, 75% of which allegedly went directly into Trump’s pocket.

Despite these contributions, WLF’s pitch deck—dubbed the “Gold Paper”—offered little substance beyond flashy visuals of Trump painted gold and lacked any credible product or leadership structure.

Twitter's discussion of the “Forbes Cover Curse”

Sun’s Forbes feature has sparked discussions on Crypto Twitter about a phenomenon called “Forbes cover curse,”referencing past crypto leaders like Binance’s Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), who faced legal troubles after being featured by Forbes.

CZ was initially congratulating Sun on his cover story, tweeting:

“Congrats! Finally read the article, as I refuse to have a subscription. Is it just me, or does it come across as a hit piece?"

But his tweet was shot back by a fan, with a cryptic message that states

"I remember when you went to jail after that picture. And SBF."

The crypto community on twitter only managed to decrypt this fan's message much later, explaining that this fan was referring to how CZ previously also graced Forbes' cover in Febrary 2018 with the headline "From Zero To Crypto Billionaire In Under A Year: Meet The Founder Of Binance," only to find himself behind bars shortly after.

Similarly, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried also had his 5 seconds of glory when Forbes ran a piece titled "Meet The World's Richest 29-Year-Old:How Sam Bankman-Fried Made A Record Fortune In Crypto Frenzy." Not long after, he ended up behind bars.

Justin Sun Under Trump's Protection

With this strange pattern recurring again and again, the big question is-will history repeat itself? Notably, Sun has already been under investigation by the SEC for alleged securities violations since March 2023.

The SEC filed a lawsuit accusing Sun of fraud, market manipulation, and offering unregistered securities tied to Tronix (TRX) and BitTorrent(BTT). Regulators claimed Sun and his entities violated U.S federal law by inflating trading volume through manipulative practices.

However, following Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, investigations into Sun and other crypto firms comes to an amazing standstill, making many wonder is this the moment where President Trump would return the favor?

In Febrary 2025, both parties-Sun and the SEC-requested a 60-day stay in the proceedings to explore a potential resolution. The join motion indicated that the stay would serve the interest of both sides adn the public, though it did not specify whether the resolution would involve a settlement or dismissal.

As of March 2025, the case remains on hold, with no further public updates on its status. The outcome is pending, and observers are awaiting the results of the negotiations between Sun and the SEC.

While we still do not know if the sudden change of heart was the doing of President Trump, but we do know that Sun would have a backup or person supporting him if everything goes south. If Trump has already granted pardon to Ross Ulbricht and all the people who have started the Jan 6 insurrection, then who knows if he would also provide the same privilege to Sun?

Despite these controversies, TRON continues to thrive as one of the fastest-growing blockchain ecosystems. With over 300 million users and daily transactions exceeding ten million, TRON is solidifying its position as a global payment network. Sun’s vision for integrating blockchain into traditional finance has been a driving force behind this growth.

A Turning Point for Sun and Crypto?

Justin Sun’s appearance on Forbes represents a significant moment for both his career and the broader blockchain industry.

As he navigates legal challenges and continues to push for mainstream adoption of crypto technologies, many are left wondering: will Sun break free from the so-called “Forbes curse,” or is he destined to follow in the footsteps of other embattled crypto moguls?

For now, TRX prices hasn't reacted to Sun's Forbes moment, but history has shown that in crypto, fortunes can change overnight.