In the fast-evolving world of blockchain and digital asset exchanges, few figures command as much attention as Sun Yuchen. Since stepping into a leadership role at Huobi in early October, Sun has reignited global interest in the exchange—and particularly in its native token, Huobi Token (HT). With bold declarations and strategic moves already underway, Sun has made one thing clear: he aims to elevate HT back into the top tier of exchange-based cryptocurrencies.
This renewed momentum isn’t just hype—it’s backed by tangible actions, including aggressive token buybacks, ecosystem integrations, and a revamped marketing strategy targeting international growth. As speculation mounts about Huobi’s future trajectory, this article dives deep into the developments shaping HT’s resurgence and what they mean for investors and the broader crypto landscape.
👉 Discover how HT is positioning itself for explosive growth in the next bull cycle.
The Rise of HT Under Sun Yuchen’s Leadership
On October 10, shortly after Huobi founder Leon Li transferred majority ownership of the exchange to Hong Kong-based About Capital, Sun Yuchen—already known for his influence in the TRON and BitTorrent ecosystems—emerged as a key figure in Huobi’s revival plan. Speaking as a representative of the newly formed Huobi Global Advisory Council, Sun announced an ambitious vision: to reposition Huobi as a top-three global digital asset exchange, with HT at the heart of that transformation.
Sun emphasized that strengthening HT’s utility and value proposition would be central to boosting Huobi’s global competitiveness. He outlined plans for a comprehensive brand refresh, product relaunches, strategic partnerships, and operational optimization—all designed to drive user acquisition and increase trading volume.
The advisory council includes high-profile members such as:
- Ted Chen, Founder of About Capital
- Du Jun, Co-founder of Huobi Global
- Wang Yang, Vice President of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Leah Wald, Co-founder of Valkyrie Investments
Their combined expertise is expected to support Huobi’s international expansion, regulatory navigation, and technological innovation.
Market sentiment responded swiftly. Within days of Sun’s announcement, HT’s price surged from $4 to $5. The momentum continued when Sun revealed in a Bloomberg interview on October 14 that he personally holds tens of millions of HT tokens—and intends to buy more. Following the interview, HT climbed further, reflecting growing investor confidence.
By October 26, HT had reached $9.57—a staggering 133% increase from its October 10 price of $4.10.
Strategic Incentives Fueling User Adoption
To accelerate adoption, Huobi launched several promotional campaigns centered around HT:
- Trading Competitions: Users can participate in HT-based trading contests with multi-million dollar prize pools.
- Fee Discounts: HT holders receive an additional 12% discount on trading fees when using Prime-tier accounts.
- New User Bonuses: New traders who transact with HT are eligible for up to two Candydrop tickets, $10 in futures rebates, and a 30% trading fee discount.
These incentives not only reward loyalty but also deepen HT’s integration into the platform’s core functionality—increasing demand and reinforcing its intrinsic value.
👉 See how top-tier exchanges are leveraging token utilities to boost user engagement.
Token Burns and Supply Dynamics: A Path to Scarcity
Token buyback and burn mechanisms are critical tools for maintaining long-term value. Among the nine major exchanges offering native platform tokens, eight—including Binance (BNB), OKX (OKB), and now Huobi (HT)—regularly conduct buybacks and burns. Crypto.com remains the sole exception without publicly disclosed data on CRO burns.
According to partial data up to October 16 (covering most of Q3 2025), the total value of burned tokens across eight exchanges reached approximately $2.43 billion:
- BNB: ~$1.94 billion (5.88 million BNB)
- FTT: ~$180 million (5.3 million FTT)
- OKB: ~$169 million (11.05 million OKB)
- HT: 5.335 million tokens burned (~$725 million equivalent in Q3 alone)
As of October 15, 2025, Huobi had destroyed a cumulative total of 295.51 million HT, reducing circulation to 162.68 million. While burn volumes declined following Huobi’s exit from the Chinese market, Sun’s revitalization strategy signals a potential 5x to 10x increase in burn rates if trading volume rebounds as projected.
With Huobi’s daily trading volume averaging around **$2 billion** in September (per TokenInsight), and spiking to $2.5 billion by late October—a 25% increase—the foundation for higher burn volumes is clearly forming.
Phasing Out HUSD, Elevating USDD
One of Sun’s first decisive actions was addressing legacy stability issues. On October 10, Huobi delisted 21 HUSD trading pairs, retaining only USDT/HUSD. Then, on October 28, the exchange announced it would fully retire HUSD, converting all user holdings 1:1 into USDT by November 4.
This move follows earlier controversies over HUSD’s alleged misuse of user funds and temporary depegging earlier in the year. Huobi clarified it had severed ties with HUSD in April and maintained minimal interaction since.
Simultaneously, Sun is promoting USDD, the algorithmic stablecoin he oversees through the TRON DAO Reserve. From October 19 to December 31, Huobi offers zero-fee spot trading on all USDD-related pairs.
Despite being algorithmic, USDD maintains over 300% collateralization—backed primarily by USDC reserves exceeding its total supply—making it one of the most stable algorithmic coins in circulation.
This strategic pivot strengthens alignment between Huobi, TRON, and BitTorrent Chain (BTTC), paving the way for deeper cross-chain integration.
HT vs. BNB: A Case for Undervaluation
Sun has openly compared HT to BNB, calling it “the next BNB.” Both tokens have a similar max supply (~160 million), enabling direct comparison.
Consider this: during Q3 2019—a bear market phase comparable to today—Binance reported:
- Average daily trading volume: $902 million
- BNB burn value: $12.62 million
- BNB price range: $15–$38
In contrast, Huobi’s Q3 2025 performance shows:
- Average daily trading volume: ~$2 billion (over double Binance’s 2019 level)
- HT burn value: ~$725 million
- Current HT price: $4–$7
Even with significantly higher trading volume and burn value than Binance did three years prior, HT trades at just 20% of BNB’s historical valuation during a similar market cycle.
This discrepancy suggests HT is severely undervalued relative to fundamentals.
Roadmap Ahead: Confidence, Expansion, Growth
Sun’s two-phase strategy for HT is becoming evident:
- Restore Trust: Rebuild confidence through transparency, consistent burns, community governance (HT voting is being reinstated), and utility enhancements.
- Global Expansion: Leverage Sun’s proven track record in international marketing to attract new users worldwide.
The integration of HECO with TRON and BTTC ecosystems will create a unified multi-chain infrastructure, enhancing scalability and interoperability across platforms.
With the broader crypto market showing signs of recovery and institutional interest rising, HT stands at a pivotal juncture.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Who is Sun Yuchen?
A: Sun Yuchen is a prominent blockchain entrepreneur best known as the founder of TRON and BitTorrent. He now plays a leading role in revitalizing Huobi and its native token HT.
Q: What is HT used for?
A: HT is Huobi’s utility token, used for fee discounts, staking rewards, voting rights, and participation in exclusive platform activities like trading competitions.
Q: Is HT a good investment?
A: While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, HT shows strong growth potential due to increased burn rates, strategic leadership, and expanding ecosystem use cases.
Q: How does Huobi burn HT tokens?
A: Huobi uses a portion of its quarterly profits to buy back HT from the open market and permanently destroy them, reducing supply and increasing scarcity.
Q: Why did Huobi delist HUSD?
A: Due to concerns over HUSD’s transparency and stability following reports of fund misuse and depegging events earlier in 2025.
Q: Can HT reach top 3 exchange token status?
A: With current momentum, strategic upgrades, and Sun’s aggressive roadmap, many analysts believe HT has a realistic path to reclaiming a top-three position among exchange tokens.
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