Donald Trump Turns Pro-Bitcoin Thanks to His NFT Success

Donald Trump became Pro-Bitcoin thanks to the success of his NFT (Photo; Doc. Daily Express)

JAKARTA - Former US President Donald Trump has now expressed his support for Bitcoin and crypto assets after previously vocally opposing the digital assets. This change in attitude was triggered by the success of his NFT (Non-Fungible Token) sales, most of which were purchased using crypto assets.

At the World Liberty Financial launch event held by Rug Radio, Trump revealed that he now sees great potential in the crypto world. Previously, in 2021, Trump had called Bitcoin a “scam” after leaving the White House. However, the success of his NFT digital card sales, which began in December 2022, has changed his views. These NFT cards are issued via the Ethereum network on Polygon, and most transactions are made using crypto.

Quoted from Decrypt, Trump said, “I was surprised to see so many people paying with crypto. If they were paying with dollars, that’s what I expected. But this is really surprising.”

Trump’s first NFT sold out in record time, and its success prompted him to launch three additional collections, with the latest set to be released in August 2024. The latest collection features digital art of Trump in various poses, including him holding a Bitcoin while dancing, reflecting Trump’s growing ties to the crypto world.

On the same occasion, Trump also revealed that his children, especially 18-year-old Barron Trump, played an important role in opening his eyes to the potential of crypto. Barron, according to Trump, is already very familiar with digital assets and has several crypto wallets. “Young people like Barron seem to understand this better than the older ones,” Trump said, acknowledging that the younger generation may be quicker to adapt to new technologies.

Trump even called crypto a booming industry with huge potential for the future. “It may seem small now, but I think it’s going to be something very big,” he added.

Trump’s views on crypto have not stopped at NFTs, but they have also extended to his political agenda. In his 2024 US presidential campaign, Trump promised to make the United States “the capital of the world for crypto and Bitcoin.” He has also considered working with Tesla CEO Elon Musk to form a government efficiency commission that would audit and improve the government’s financial performance.