Trump attracts crypto users with new moves, Bitcoin-themed sneakers sold out and resold by scalpers at 5 times the price
The most popular high-top Bitcoin orange-themed sneakers were originally priced at $499 and sold out within 3 hours. Subsequently, scalpers appeared on the shopping site eBay, with more than ten listings, the highest being marked up to $2500.Author: Weilin, PANews
On the evening of July 31, Beijing time, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced a series of Bitcoin-themed sneakers on his social media platform, Truth Social.
As soon as the news broke, the most popular high-top Bitcoin orange-themed sneakers, originally priced at $499, sold out within 3 hours. Subsequently, scalpers appeared on the shopping site eBay, with over ten listings, the highest being marked up to $2500.
This is not the first time Trump has "sold goods" by promoting shoes, but after his speech at the Bitcoin 2024 conference, cryptocurrencies and crypto users have become one of his focuses for garnering votes.
Trump Sells Bitcoin-Themed Sneakers, Scalpers Mark Up to $2500
On the evening of July 31, Trump referred to the sneakers as limited edition on Truth Social, stating that each pair is numbered and can now be purchased with Bitcoin or users' favorite cryptocurrencies. The website (https://gettrumpsneakers.com/) shows that there are 1000 pairs in a single series, with the orange high-top series priced at $499, while the orange low-top and black high-top sneakers are priced at $299 each.
The news quickly attracted many buyers, and the 1000 pairs of Bitcoin orange-themed high-top sneakers sold out in just 3 hours. Currently, on eBay, scalpers have marked up the price of these shoes to $2500, with a minimum price of $700, and there are 13 listings, with some setting the price at $69,999 as a joke.
It is worth noting that while most listings on eBay promise that once the seller receives the shoes, they will ship them to the buyer, expected between September and November. Most sellers seem to have high buyer ratings, but more than one seller has been accused of being a "scam" in the buyer feedback section. It remains unclear whether these potential transactions comply with the law.
Currently, the orange low-top and black high-top versions are still available for pre-sale on the official website, priced at $299 each.
After the Bitcoin 2024 Conference, Trump Promotes the "Crypto President" Slogan
Now, Bitcoin-themed sneakers have become a unique marketing tool for Trump. Notably, these sneakers feature the slogan "Trump, Crypto President," aligning with Trump's speech at the conference. Additionally, the official website states that 5 pairs of the orange high-tops will be randomly signed by Trump, meaning that Trump sneaker enthusiasts will have a 1 in 200 chance of receiving a signed pair, aimed at further attracting users and showcasing the collectible value of these shoes.
This is not the first time Trump has "sold goods." Back on February 17 of this year, Trump gave a speech at a sneaker exhibition at the Philadelphia Convention Center, showcasing a pair of gold "Trump" sneakers from the podium, which he named the "NEVER SURRENDER HIGH-TOP SNEAKER." "This is something I've been talking about for 12 or 13 years, and I think it will be a huge success," Trump said during his speech.
The gold high-top sneakers feature designs with American flag elements and the uppercase letter "T" representing Trump, selling online for $399. A limited edition of 1000 pairs was produced. At that time, at the Philadelphia sneaker exhibition, a man spent $9000 at auction to acquire a pair of "Trump Gold Boots."
Currently, Trump's website lists over a dozen other styles of footwear, including golf shoes, low-top sneakers, slippers, as well as two fragrances and a cooler, all supporting Bitcoin and credit card payments. According to the website, the sales revenue from these shoes will not be considered political donations.
On July 28, at the Bitcoin 2024 conference, Trump stated that the market value of Bitcoin would surpass that of gold; if elected, he would remove SEC Chairman Gary Gensler; and he would retain government-held Bitcoin as a strategic reserve, among other points. Through his speech, Trump aims to attract further support within the crypto community.
For instance, on July 31, well-known investor and serial entrepreneur Gary Cardone announced that he had donated 12.8 BTC to the Trump campaign, valued at approximately $852,000. According to Trump's campaign aide David Bailey, the Trump campaign raised $21 million during the 2024 Bitcoin conference.
In addition to launching Bitcoin-themed sneakers, Trump is also set to release a fourth series of NFTs in the future. As of 1 PM on August 1, the floor price of the first series of Trump digital trading cards had dropped 4.46% in 24 hours, but the trading volume increased by 145.59%. The second series saw a floor price decrease of 3.74% and a trading volume increase of 136.71%. The third series (MugShot Edition) had a floor price drop of 2.95%.
On July 17, according to an interview published by Bloomberg Businessweek, Trump plans to launch a fourth NFT series. In the interview, Trump stated that his previously launched NFT collectibles were "very successful," selling out in a single day: "All sold out: 45,000 cards. I launched it three times, and I will launch it again because people want me to do it again."
