Justin Sun announces $1 million math prize but shows no proof of funding
What Justin Sun announced
Justin Sun, the crypto entrepreneur, announced a new competition called the "Justin Sun Prize." He said the prize would award $1 million to anyone who can solve 66 mathematical problems and verify their proof. The prizes would be paid in USDT or USDC, two stablecoins, rather than through a bank wire.
Sun made the announcement on the social media platform X and compared the prize to the Nobel Prize. He said the Nobel was created after he was called "The Merchant of Death," and that this inspired concern for his own legacy.
Key points
- The prize offers $1 million for solving 66 math problems with verified proofs.
- Winners would be paid in USDT or USDC stablecoins.
- Sun claims the prize pool address will be publicly available for anyone to check.
- No publicly visible wallet address with funds has been confirmed.
No evidence of the prize pool
Despite the announcement, there is no publicly available evidence that $66 million exists to fund the prize. The article notes that the prize effectively has no prize behind it. Protos reached out to The Justin Sun Prize for confirmation of a public wallet but received no response.
Sun has also stated that he can only donate funds to the prize pool, not withdraw any from it.
Sun's recent controversies
The announcement comes as Sun has faced several public disputes. He has been involved in a legal and personal conflict with Chinese actress Jing Tian, which has drawn negative attention in China. He also filed a lawsuit against the Trump family related to his personal investment in World Liberty Financial, and was previously sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
What is confirmed
Justin Sun publicly announced the Justin Sun Prize, offering $1 million for solving 66 math problems. He stated prizes would be paid in stablecoins and that a public wallet address would be available. No such verified address has been found.
What is still unclear
It remains unconfirmed whether the $66 million prize pool actually exists. Sun's team did not respond to a request for comment from Protos about a verifiable wallet address.
Why it matters
The announcement raises questions about whether the prize is real or promotional without backing. For a competition of this scale, the lack of a verifiable funding source is a significant gap.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.