Recently, social media and crypto forums have been flooded with sensational claims that Alibaba founder Jack Ma is “building a strategic Ethereum reserve.” The news rapidly took hold across X, YouTube, and crypto influencer channels, with many asserting that Ma’s reported ETH holdings could mark one of the largest corporate or private accumulations of Ethereum in Asia.
But how credible is this claim, and what do the facts actually show?
Where Did This Claim Come From?
The claim emerged after several viral posts on X around October 13, 2025, from influential accounts like MerlijnTrader & Crypto Rover, claiming that “Jack Ma is building a strategic Ethereum reserve.”
These posts quickly gained traction, citing unnamed sources and market optimism.
Fact Check: What’s Actually True?
Jack Ma Firm Purchased Ethereum
Yunfeng Financial, a company co-founded by Jack Ma and David Yu, confirmed in regulatory filings that it had indeed purchased 10,000 Ethereum, worth about $44 million—on the open market in early September 2025.
The move was described as part of a strategic Web3 and blockchain investment initiative aimed at exploring decentralized infrastructure, not specifically for strategic reserve.
No Direct Evidence of Personal Accumulation
There is no on-chain proof, company filing, or public statement verifying that Jack Ma personally owns or is “building a strategic reserve” of Ethereum. Binance posts mentioning “Jack Ma’s Ethereum reserve” appear to interpret Yunfeng Financial’s acquisition rather than confirm a personal one.
Social Media Claims Lack Official Verification
The viral claims originated solely from influencer accounts and Telegram news channels without any corroboration from Alibaba, Ant Group, or Ma’s representatives.
The post by MerlijnTrader, which first popularized the rumor, included no wallet addresses, institutional confirmations, or official documents linking the ETH purchases to Ma personally.
Summary Table: Coinpedia’s Evidence Against the Theory
| Claim Made by Theory | Coinpedia’s Counter-Evidence |
| Jack Ma is building an Ethereum reserve | ❌ No confirmed or verifiable evidence supports this claim. |
| Social media posts confirmed Ma’s involvement | ❌ False—claims originated from influencers without official proof |
| Yunfeng Financial (Ma-linked company) purchased Ethereum | ✅ True—Yunfeng bought 10,000 ETH (~$44M) for Web3 investments |
Conclusion
| Claim | Jack Ma is building a strategic Ethereum reserve. |
| Verdict | ❌ False |
| Fact-Check by Coinpedia | As per Coinpedia research and a review of official sources, there is no credible or verifiable evidence linking Jack Ma is building a “strategic Ethereum reserve” Until an official statement is released by either Jack Ma or the Yunfeng firm, this remains just a rumor. |
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