Justin Sun, the founder of the TRON blockchain, reportedly asked Bullish, the crypto exchange that now owns CoinDesk, to remove a critical article about him eating the world’s most expensive banana. The piece, which explored Sun’s consumption of Maurizio Cattelan’s $6.2 million banana artwork, was met with disapproval from Sun’s team, sources say.
The article, titled “I Watched Justin Sun Eat the World’s Most Expensive Banana. I Don’t Get It,” was published in late November. It delved into the bizarre nature of the act, the banana’s status as an artwork, and Sun’s ongoing legal issues with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
According to a report from Fortune, Sun’s team reportedly complained to Bullish, which purchased CoinDesk for $75 million in 2023. The complaint centered on the tone of the article, leading to Bullish allegedly demanding that CoinDesk remove it from its site. Sources familiar with the situation claimed that CoinDesk’s editorial staff resisted the request, arguing that the article should remain accessible, possibly with an editor’s note for clarity. Despite this, the article was removed from CoinDesk’s website, though it remains available on Yahoo News.
The piece also pointed out Sun’s history of legal threats against news outlets, particularly those covering allegations of the TRON blockchain being used to fund illicit activities. Additionally, the article referenced Sun’s relationship with CoinDesk, noting that the TRON network is a major sponsor of CoinDesk’s annual conference, Consensus.
The request for the article’s removal came amidst ongoing concerns over CoinDesk’s editorial independence following its acquisition by Bullish. Bullish CEO Tom Farley and CoinDesk editor-in-chief Kevin Reynolds both declined to comment on the situation when approached by Fortune.
In a further twist, Matt Murray, the chair of CoinDesk’s editorial committee and a former editor-in-chief at The Wall Street Journal, resigned on December 16. Murray has not publicly commented on his resignation or the events surrounding it.
This incident raises broader questions about the potential impact of corporate ownership on journalistic integrity, particularly when a major sponsor and high-profile industry figure like Justin Sun is involved. The tensions between editorial independence and financial interests are becoming increasingly apparent as media outlets are bought by companies with direct business ties to the subjects they cover.
As the dust settles, the controversy over the banana article is likely to fuel ongoing debate about the future of independent reporting in the cryptocurrency space.