Crypto billionaire Justin Sun says crypto’s next breakout could come from artificial intelligence (AI), writing on Tuesday the X that he’s all-in on AI, but the industry has yet to produce a product that resonates with consumers.
In an interview with CoinDesk ahead of Consensus Hong Kong 2026, the Tron founder argued that most AI-linked tokens remain conceptual rather than functional.
While investors often cite AI as the next catalyst for digital assets, Sun said the sector lacks what amounts to a “ChatGPT moment” — a consumer-facing application that clearly demonstrates value.
Until that happens, he said, excitement alone is unlikely to drive a sustained market cycle, leaving crypto dependent on advances in payments, settlement and other proven use cases.
“For most AI tokens, it’s just a concept,” Sun said in Hong Kong. “It’s not really hitting the mark yet.”
Sun nonetheless maintained that the convergence of AI and blockchain remains one of the most promising long-term directions for the industry, especially if developers can produce tools that feel immediately useful rather than experimental.
Meanwhile, Sun said the industry’s most reliable momentum continues to come from areas that are already showing steady demand, particularly stablecoins and cross-border payments.
In parts of the Global South where local populations simply do not trust inflation-ravaged currencies, USDT on Tron is a lifeline to financial access. As Tether founder Paolo Ardoino highlighted last summer, high-end imports in countries like Bolivia are paid in USDT.
“[With blockchain it’s] first time in the world we have this kind of digital dollar settlement where you can transfer the money anywhere, 24/7,” said Sun.
Until a consumer AI product delivers the same clarity that stablecoins already provide, crypto’s most visible progress will likely remain in the infrastructure that quietly supports day-to-day transactions.
