IQ Record-Holder YoungHoon Kim Shifts Focus to XRP Advocacy Amid Credibility Questions

YoungHoon Kim, a South Korean personality claiming the world’s highest IQ, has recently pivoted his social media strategy to actively promote XRP. His latest posts describe the Ripple-linked cryptocurrency as a “digital God”—a characterization that has raised eyebrows even among seasoned XRP supporters who find the intensity of his advocacy increasingly hard to sustain.

The Credibility Challenge

Before diving into his current cryptocurrency promotion, it’s worth examining the foundation of Kim’s claims. His assertion of possessing an IQ of 276 faces significant scientific scrutiny. Standardized IQ testing, particularly the scale used by Mensa with a standard deviation of 15, typically caps out at around 160 for reliable measurement. An IQ score of 195 would represent a statistical rarity of 1 in 8 billion individuals—requiring a norming population exponentially larger than all humans who have ever lived to validate.

The mathematical framework underlying IQ validation reveals a critical flaw in such extreme claims. Paul Cooijmans, founder of the original Giga Society (established to recognize the world’s most intellectually gifted), has publicly criticized Kim’s organization, the “Giga Society Professional,” labeling it as operating without legitimate foundation. Former leadership at Mensa Korea reportedly indicated that Kim’s performance scores did not meet “exceptional” standards within their organization.

The XRP Promotion Campaign

Kim’s public positioning has undergone a notable transformation in recent weeks. Previously known as a Bitcoin maximalist, his narrative shifted dramatically, with XRP becoming the focal point of his posts. By mid-December 2025, he was forecasting XRP to reach $100—a projection that contrasts sharply with XRP’s current market price of $2.04 (down 2.43% over 24 hours as of January 12, 2026).

This strategic pivot toward XRP promotion reflects what some observers characterize as an engagement-focused approach to social media activity. Community members have noted that such intensive promotional behavior appears designed to capitalize on the sizeable XRP community base, with engagement metrics—replies, shares, and reactions—seemingly driving the content strategy.

Community Response and Market Reality

The XRP community itself presents a mixed reaction to this level of advocacy. While traditionally receptive to positive coverage, even loyal supporters acknowledge the fatigue that accompanies such relentless promotion. The pattern of increasingly dramatic claims appears to many as more reflective of engagement optimization than substantive market analysis.

The disconnect between Kim’s IQ claims and his investment advocacy raises questions about the consistency of his intellectual positioning. Whether his shift toward XRP represents genuine conviction or tactical social media strategy remains unclear.