OKX CEO Slams Justin Sun Over ‘Mysterious’ Freeze Notice After Tron Hack

A public dispute has erupted between two prominent figures in the cryptocurrency space: OKX founder and CEO Star Xu and Tron founder Justin Sun. The disagreement centers around actions taken, or not taken, following a recent security incident involving the official Tron X account.

Justin Sun’s Claims Following the Tron Crypto Hack

The controversy began after the official Tron DAO X account, which boasts 1.7 million followers, was compromised on May 3. During the breach, malicious content, including a fraudulent contract address, was posted, and direct messages were sent to followers. Tron DAO warned its community, advising anyone who received a DM on May 2 to delete it.

Following the hack, Justin Sun publicly claimed that OKX had failed to respond to a “freeze notice.” Sun stated that this notice was sent to OKX’s official email address from a “relevant law enforcement agency” concerning the stolen funds. He expressed frustration, claiming he had no other way to contact OKX’s compliance department and emphasized he was acting to protect the community, not himself.

OKX Responds: No Request Received to Freeze Funds

In a swift and public response, OKX CEO Star Xu directly addressed Justin Sun’s accusations on X. Xu firmly denied receiving any such request from law enforcement through OKX’s official channels. “Our LE cooperation team just checked the email, including the spam box; we haven’t received any request related with this case,” Xu stated.

Xu also clarified OKX’s policy regarding asset freezing, explaining that the exchange operates under consumer protection laws. He stressed that funds cannot be frozen based solely on a personal X post or oral communication. Xu highlighted the need for proper legal process, suggesting that Sun, as the CEO of HTX (another exchange), should understand these protocols.

Xu publicly challenged Sun to provide evidence, specifically a screenshot showing when and where the alleged law enforcement request was made to OKX.

Context: The Challenge of Security and Freezing Funds

The dispute between OKX and Justin Sun highlights the ongoing challenges in cryptocurrency security and the complexities involved when attempting to freeze funds suspected of being stolen. The Tron incident is not isolated; several high-profile crypto-related X accounts have been compromised recently, including Kaito AI and Pump.fun, often used to promote scams or manipulate markets.

While exchanges like OKX have procedures for cooperating with law enforcement to freeze funds, these processes require formal requests through established channels, not public accusations or informal notices. The lack of a formal request, as claimed by OKX, explains their inability to act based on Justin Sun’s public statements alone.

This incident underscores the critical need for robust security measures on social media platforms used by crypto projects and individuals, as well as clear communication channels and adherence to legal procedures when addressing the aftermath of a crypto hack.