Seoul Financier Joins Trump’s Inner Circle of Meme Coin Millionaires
SEOUL— A quiet but powerful player in Asia’s institutional crypto scene has earned an unlikely seat at one of the most exclusive gatherings in U.S. politics and digital finance. Oh Sang-rok, CEO of Seoul-based crypto firm Hyperithm, has been invited to a private dinner with former U.S. President Donald Trump on May 22 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington.
The dinner is limited to just 25 people globally, selected based on their weighted holdings of Trump’s namesake cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, between its January 17 launch and May 12. Blockchain records suggest Oh holds roughly $3 million worth of $TRUMP, making him the 13th-largest investor in the token and the only Korean to make the cut.
A Meme Coin with Political Muscle
$TRUMP is part of a growing trend of meme coins—cryptocurrencies that thrive more on hype and social media frenzy than on technical merit or utility. These tokens are often viewed as speculative and unpredictable, but in Trump’s case, they’ve taken on an added dimension of political and financial identity.
Unlike established digital assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum, meme coins such as $TRUMP trade heavily on public image and cultural relevance. Their value can rise rapidly with public attention, but they’re also notoriously volatile. Despite this, $TRUMP has cultivated a dedicated community of backers, many of whom see the coin not just as an investment but as an expression of loyalty to Trump’s political brand.
Oh Sang-rok: A Disciplined Player in a Hype-Driven Market
Oh’s presence on this elite list may seem surprising at first glance. He is not a retail trader chasing viral trends, nor is he a celebrity influencer. Instead, he’s a seasoned financial professional with a traditional background in mergers and acquisitions at Morgan Stanley’s Seoul office. In 2018, he co-founded Hyperithm, a digital asset management firm serving institutional clients in Asia and beyond.
His approach to crypto stands in contrast to the speculative nature of meme coins. Hyperithm is known for its risk-managed strategies and has remained profitable even during some of the most dramatic downturns in crypto history—including the collapses of FTX and Terra-Luna.
“Crypto should be recognized as a core K-asset,” Oh said earlier this year in a Korean media interview, arguing that digital assets should be treated as a vital part of Korea’s high-value economic ecosystem rather than dismissed as fringe speculation.
Global Footprint and Regulatory Advocacy
Hyperithm’s strategic vision sets it apart from many domestic competitors. While most Korean crypto firms focus on local retail exchanges, Oh launched Hyperithm in Japan, a country where institutional crypto investing is legally recognized. The firm has since expanded its operations to work with banks, securities firms, and investment funds across Asia and the United States.
It has also attracted major international investors, including Coinbase Ventures and GS Futures, strengthening its global credentials.
Oh has been vocal about South Korea’s lagging crypto regulations and continues to push for reforms that would allow blockchain-based assets to be integrated into the country’s mainstream financial system. His invitation to Trump’s dinner serves as both a validation of his firm’s growing global influence and a reminder of how politics, personality, and digital finance are becoming increasingly intertwined.
From Seoul to Washington
The upcoming dinner on May 22 marks a milestone for both Oh and the wider Korean crypto industry. Being recognized among the world’s top holders of a politically charged meme coin is not just about portfolio value—it reflects an evolving global crypto culture where investors, innovators, and political figures are finding common ground.
Whether Oh’s $3 million stake in $TRUMP is a savvy investment or a strategic bet on visibility remains to be seen. But as he takes his seat at the table with Donald Trump and other digital asset elites, his presence underscores how far Asia’s institutional crypto players have come—and where they might be headed next.
