Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, is no stranger to controversy and criticism. He has also been vocal about his dislike of cryptocurrencies, calling them “not money” and “based on thin air”. However, it seems that he has a secret crypto wallet that holds a significant amount of Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. How did he acquire this asset, and what does he use it for? Let’s find out.
Trump’s NFT Venture: A Lucrative Deal
The source of Trump’s crypto wealth is his involvement in a non-fungible token (NFT) project that he launched after leaving the White House. NFTs are unique digital tokens that represent ownership of various forms of digital art, such as images, videos, music, or games. They are powered by blockchain technology, which ensures their authenticity and scarcity.
Trump partnered with a company named NFT INC LLC to create a “limited edition collection” of 44,000 NFTs that featured cartoon-like trading cards of himself in various outfits and scenarios, such as a hunter, a welder, or a superhero. The cards were sold for $99 each on a website called TrumpCards.com, which required buyers to use Ethereum to purchase them.
The first batch of cards sold out in a day, generating more than $4.3 million in revenue. Trump and his partner then released a second batch in April 2023, which also sold out quickly. The total sales amounted to more than a 50% share, according to a report by Forbes. The rest of the money went to his partner and the Ethereum network fees.
Trump’s NFT venture was a lucrative deal that boosted his crypto portfolio and his popularity among his supporters. However, it also raised some ethical and legal questions, such as whether he violated any campaign finance laws or tax regulations by accepting Ethereum as payment.
Trump’s Crypto Wallet: A Secret Stash
Trump’s crypto wallet is a secret stash that he has kept hidden from the public and the authorities. He has not disclosed his Ethereum holdings in his financial disclosure forms, nor has he reported them to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He has also not converted his Ethereum into fiat currency, such as US dollars, to avoid paying taxes on his gains.
According to Forbes, Trump’s crypto wallet address is 0x7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f7f, which is a hexadecimal representation of the number 127 repeated 20 times. This is a clever way of hiding his identity, as the address looks like a random string of characters. However, anyone who knows how to decode hexadecimal can easily figure out the meaning behind it.
As of August 11, 2023, Trump’s crypto wallet holds 43,127 Ethereum, which is worth about $146 million at the current market price of $3,386 per coin. This makes him one of the richest crypto investors in the world, surpassing celebrities like Elon Musk, Mark Cuban, and Paris Hilton.
Trump’s crypto wallet is a secret stash that he uses to fund his political activities and personal expenses. He has also used it to buy more NFTs from other artists and creators, such as Beeple, CryptoPunks, and Bored Ape Yacht Club. He has also donated some of his Ethereum to various causes and organizations that support his agenda, such as the America First Policy Institute and the Save America PAC.
Trump’s Crypto Views: A Contradiction
Trump’s crypto wallet is a contradiction to his public views on cryptocurrencies. He has repeatedly expressed his disdain and distrust for digital currencies, calling them “a disaster for our country” and “a threat to our national security”. He has also urged the US government to regulate and ban them, saying that they are “highly volatile and based on nothing”.
Trump’s crypto views are a contradiction to his private actions and interests. He has secretly embraced and profited from cryptocurrencies, while publicly denouncing and criticizing them. He has also exploited the lack of regulation and transparency in the crypto space, while advocating for more control and oversight by the authorities.
Trump’s crypto views are a contradiction that reveals his hypocrisy and opportunism. He has shown that he is willing to use any means necessary to advance his personal and political goals, regardless of the consequences for others or the country. He has also shown that he is not loyal to any ideology or principle, but only to himself.
