Kevin Xu, founder and CEO of artificial intelligence finance startup Alpha, went viral over the weekend for a post that many online called tone-deaf, cringeworthy, or outright depressing.
In a recent post on X, Xu wrote: “401k $9.8mil / Checking $3000 / Savings $296. Wife — Let’s go on vacation? Me — Can’t, we’re broke. Few understand.”
One user summed up the general mood with the now-viral response: “Dude, take your wife on vacation.”
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The post quickly spread, amassing over 11 million views and igniting a wave of backlash. Many didn't buy the idea that someone with a nearly $10 million retirement account was too broke to afford a vacation.
“Bro is going to die with $12M in his 401k and his wife is going to die without ever having enjoyed life to the best of their ability,” one user wrote. Another added, “This is dragon behavior. 9.8 mil locked up in a cave, and he's perched on it growling while his family eats off-brand mac n cheese.”
Others argued the logic just didn't add up. “Even with a full employer match, you can only put 30k in a 401(k) a year, bro has investments earmarked for retirement and calling them a 401(k),” one commenter noted.
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Xu, however, doubled down. When someone asked how low your self-esteem has to be to constantly broadcast your net worth and that he technically owns $0, he responded: “Wrong. Technically I own $3,296.17 liquid cash.”
When others encouraged him to at least treat his wife a little, he replied, “I’ll get her boba today.” He also posted a photo of himself holding the tea with captions, “We’re good now, got my wife $10 matcha she loves me.”
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Few Understand, Or Few Agree?
In follow-up posts, Xu described himself as the “poorest rich guy” and said he has no plans to spend his retirement funds early due to penalties and complexity. He also defended his relationship, saying, “She was with me when I had nothing.”
Still, the tone of the original post, combined with his visible wealth flexing, rubbed many people the wrong way.
Some speculated it was all a troll, but Xu seemed sincere in his responses. When someone said that this “deeply resonates” with them, he replied with a handshake emoji and said, “You understand.”
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