YoungHoon Kim, a South Korean figure who refers to himself as the “world’s highest IQ record holder,” claims to have converted all of his assets into bitcoin.
Kim also forecasts that bitcoin will increase at least 100-fold in the coming decade, ultimately becoming the world’s “ultimate reserve asset.”
He made these bold assertions in recent posts on X, describing himself as both a “Grand Master of Memory” and the individual with the highest IQ ever recorded — a claim that experts have somewhat disputed.
“I believe that Bitcoin is the sole hope for the future economy. Thus, I have converted all my assets into Bitcoin,” Kim stated on X.
At the time of his statements, bitcoin was trading at approximately $114,000. If his prediction were accurate, each coin could exceed $10 million by the mid-2030s.
He also posted a photo of himself with Matt Prusak, president of American Bitcoin, a company linked to the Trump family.
Questions about the messenger
Kim’s claims rely on his reputation as an intellectual prodigy, but this status is not universally accepted. He asserts an IQ score of 276 — well beyond the limits of standard psychometric scales, which typically lose validity past the 160–200 range.
There is a lack of independent verification for this score. Although organizations like the GIGA Society and the United Sigma Intelligence Association (which Kim himself co-founded) have promoted his record, major psychologists and high-IQ communities often regard the figure as implausible.
VICE and other outlets have similarly noted challenges in finding credible evidence of Kim’s claimed test results.
Financial analysts are equally skeptical of Kim’s Bitcoin forecast. Despite a rise in crypto adoption in recent years, few institutional projections envision a 100× increase within the next decade. Even optimistic estimates from leading investment firms typically foresee gains of 5× to 20× under favorable circumstances.
Outside of finance, Kim is vocal about his Christian faith, declaring in mid-2025 that “Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life.”
His posts, which intertwine religion, high-IQ branding, and crypto advocacy, have sparked both interest and controversy on social media.