In a spectacle that blends the glitz of beauty pageants with the high-stakes world of cryptocurrency, the Miss HTX contest unfolded in Singapore on October 1, 2025, drawing attention from across the globe. Organized by Chinese billionaire Justin Sun, the event featured female crypto entrepreneurs competing not just for a crown, but for lucrative roles in the blockchain industry—while the Trump family’s business interests loomed large over the proceedings.
The contest, held during the high-profile TOKEN2049 crypto conference, was unlike any traditional pageant. Contestants were required to submit their height, weight, and special talents—ranging from dancing and singing to acting—before strutting their stuff in live runway shows. But this was no mere beauty contest; participants also faced rigorous tests of their blockchain knowledge, showcased their influence in the crypto community, and delivered public speaking challenges. According to the HTX website, "The contest includes, but is not limited to, blockchain knowledge tests, community influence, talent showcases, live runway shows, and public speaking challenges, allowing all HTX users to vote for their favorite contestants."
What set this event apart, however, was its deep entanglement with the Trump Organization. The company, now run by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, sponsored the contest through its $TRUMP meme coin. The Trump family stands to profit from trading fees and promotional activities linked to the coin, which has become a centerpiece of their burgeoning crypto empire. CIC Digital LLC, overseen by the Trump Organization, manages the $TRUMP coin, and the family’s involvement has attracted both fans and critics.
Justin Sun, the contest’s mastermind and a figure frequently in the headlines, is worth an estimated $8 billion. He’s no stranger to controversy; in February 2025, the Trump administration mysteriously dropped a Securities and Exchange Commission fraud investigation into his crypto dealings. Sun is also the top holder of the $TRUMP meme coin, with Bloomberg reporting his holdings are estimated upwards of $15 million as of earlier this year. In total, Sun has reportedly purchased at least $90 million in Trump-linked crypto.
The Miss HTX contest was more than just a one-off event. Winners are promised generous cash prizes, direct access to high-paying positions at HTX, a travel bonus, industry exposure, and even a meeting with Sun himself. The judging panel included large HTX crypto holders, Sun and HTX executives, industry elites, top-tier media, and key opinion leaders. Many contestants, according to a Daily Mail analysis, appear to be from China, highlighting the event’s international flavor.
The spectacle didn’t end with the contest itself. The $TRUMP coin sponsored an afterparty at the TOKEN2049 conference, where the Miss HTX winners were announced. The event featured a keynote address by Sun and offered raffle prizes such as Trump watches, Formula 1 tickets, and HTX coins. The competition’s promotional materials hyped the event with the tagline: "The stage is hotter, the game is bolder—and the next crypto queen or Miss Trump is on her way."
Donald Trump Jr. was in Singapore for the conference, though it remained unclear whether he would appear at the afterparty. The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment on the family’s involvement. The contest’s sign-up sheet made it clear that the stakes were high: “Participants who come out on top will win generous cash prizes, direct access to high-paying positions at HTX, industry exposure, a travel bonus and a meeting with Sun.”
Critics have raised eyebrows at the intertwining of the Trump family’s business interests with the world of cryptocurrency and figures like Justin Sun. Virginia Canter, director of ethics and anti-corruption at Democracy Defenders Fund, told the Daily Mail, "If true, this seems to represent how intertwined Trump's business interests are with unsavory characters who exploit that relationship to obtain favor from SEC law enforcement while furthering their own and the president's crypto businesses."
Justin Sun’s connections to the Trump family extend beyond the Miss HTX pageant. He invested $75 million into World Liberty Financial (WLF), a crypto organization co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Zach Witkoff, the son of U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and current CEO of WLF. This web of relationships has only fueled further scrutiny, especially as the Trump family’s fortune has swelled in tandem with their crypto ventures.
World Liberty Financial, which trades publicly as WLFI, was “inspired by the vision” of President Donald Trump and lists him as its co-founder emeritus. The 79-year-old’s three sons—Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Barron Trump—are also credited as co-founders. According to Forbes, the Trumps control about 60 percent of the company through an LLC that holds around 22.5 billion WLFI tokens, and they are entitled to 75 percent of sales of WLFI, which are sold on the open market like a listed company’s shares.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump family’s wealth increased by as much as $5 billion after trading opened on World Liberty Financial. Cryptocurrency, rather than the family’s storied real estate portfolio, is now likely the Trumps’ most valuable asset as of 2025. This dramatic shift in the family’s financial foundation has not gone unnoticed by political observers and ethics watchdogs alike.
Despite the swirl of controversy, Donald Trump Jr. has dismissed allegations of conflicts of interest as “complete nonsense.” Speaking to CNBC at the TOKEN2049 conference, he said, “I don’t think anyone actually believes that my father or [co-founder of World Liberty Financial Zach Witkoff’s] father would be looking at ledgers on the blockchain to see who bought what, and that carrying any kind of favor.” Zach Witkoff echoed this sentiment, telling CNBC, “Don and my World Liberty mission is big, but our dads’ mission is much bigger. They’re not focused on stablecoins, nor are they involved in a stablecoin business.”
President Trump himself has also weighed in. When pressed by an Australian reporter in September about whether it was “appropriate” for the president to enrich himself while in office, Trump replied, “Well, I’m really not. My kids are running the business. I’m here.” He then deflected, questioning the reporter’s motives and asserting that he was not personally involved in the day-to-day business operations.
As the Miss HTX contest drew to a close with winners announced and the afterparty in full swing, the event encapsulated the curious intersection of glamour, technology, and political influence. With cash prizes, job offers, and even the possibility of a dinner with the president on the line for those who traded the most $TRUMP coin, the spectacle underscored just how much the Trump family’s business interests have shifted toward the digital frontier—and how those interests continue to spark heated debate.
Whether the Miss HTX contest will become a mainstay of the crypto calendar or fade as a one-time oddity remains to be seen. For now, it stands as a vivid example of how business, politics, and technology can collide in unpredictable—and sometimes eyebrow-raising—ways.
