Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron, has initiated a lawsuit against Chinese actress Jing Tian and her parents to recover a payment of more than 30 million yuan, which is approximately $4.5 million. This legal action follows the end of the couple’s relationship, which concluded during the first half of 2026.
As reported by Dexerto, Sun, who is well known for his high-profile purchase of a duct-taped banana for $6.2 million, considers this significant sum to be a traditional betrothal gift provided in anticipation of a marriage that ultimately did not take place. The legal proceedings were confirmed by Sun’s lawyer, Zhang Qihuai, who noted that a court has officially accepted the case. Sun’s legal team has also reportedly applied for property preservation as part of the ongoing dispute.
The public nature of this split has been quite intense, particularly after Sun published a detailed account of the relationship on X. This post, titled My Girlfriend Jing Tian, offered his personal perspective on their history and the eventual breakup.
Jing Tian says she has poor judgment in men
Sun later included a disclaimer claiming the entire story was fictional, yet his lawyer subsequently confirmed that the pair had indeed dated with marriage in mind and that the lawsuit is a serious attempt to recover the funds. Jing Tian reportedly responded to these claims through her own channels on the Chinese social media site Weibo, City News Service reports.
In August, she expressed her stance clearly, stating, “I will not sell my love for money, whether in the past, present or future, and I will never sell my soul.” She further commented on the situation by saying, “I have poor judgment in men, but I will never sell my love for money,” and emphasized that “justice and fairness will ultimately prevail.”
Her studio also released a statement, noting that they trust the legal process and intend to leave the resolution of the dispute to the court while rejecting any attempts to exploit the actress’s reputation. Currently, the case is in the early stages, as Jing and her parents have reportedly challenged the jurisdiction of the court.
This objection is still under review, meaning the legal battle has yet to reach a trial phase or any substantive proceedings. The court must first decide if it is the appropriate venue for such a claim before any of the underlying financial details can be properly debated in a courtroom setting.
Justin Sun, who is a Chinese-born entrepreneur, has built a massive presence in the blockchain world as the founder of TRON. Forbes has estimated his net worth to be around $8.5 billion, so the $4.5 million appears to be just a fraction of what he has.
Published: Sep 15, 2026 04:15 pm