Listings for pairs of Donald Trump’s limited-edition orange Bitcoin-themed sneakers have already made their way onto eBay, with scalpers hoping to sell their spot in the pre-order queue for as much as $2,500.
At the time of writing, there are 12 listings on eBay for the ‘Bitcoin orange’ colored high-tops. Prices start as low as $700 via a live auction but range as high as $2,500 with a “or best offer” condition. One offer jokingly set a price of $69,999.
However, there’s no telling if the sellers will keep their word or if the listings are legitimate.
Most of the listings promise to ship the footwear to their buyer once they receive it, which is expected between September and November. Most of the sellers appear to have high ratings, though more than one has been accused of being a “scam" in the buyer feedback section.
Trump’s Bitcoin-themed footwear went live for pre-order on the official Trump Sneakers website on July 31, with a limited edition run of 1,000 for the orange high-top shoes. They sold out within three hours of launch.
Notably, the website said five pairs of the limited edition shoes would be randomly signed by Trump — meaning that Trump sneakerheads would have a 1 in 200 chance of receiving a signed pair.
Another two variations of the sneakers have yet to appear on eBay. They’re still marked as available on the Trump Sneakers website despite only 1,000 of each. The orange low-tops and black hi-tops are up for pre-order at $299. A small number of them will also be autographed.
Outside of the crypto-themed footwear, the Trump team is selling a wide range of other Trump-themed items, perfume, a “Freedom” cooler — which is listed for $299 — and other shoes emblazoned with various Trump-affiliated catchphrases and American flag decals.
The move to craft a roster of crypto-themed merchandise follows Trump’s sudden change of heart on cryptocurrency earlier this year. Since then, he has made pro-crypto policy a cornerstone of his re-election campaign.
Days after Trump’s speech in Nashville
The shoes have come on sale just days after the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville on July 25, where Trump promised to create a “strategic national Bitcoin stockpile,” meaning that if he were reelected as President, the US Government would never sell any of the $12 billion in confiscated Bitcoin it holds in reserve.
Trump has changed his tune on Bitcoin over the last few years.
In 2021, the former President described Bitcoin as “like a scam” and said he had no interest in cryptocurrencies, which he claimed were technically worthless compared to an asset like the US Dollar.
TRUMP: Bitcoin, it just seems like a scam. I don't like it. I want the dollar to be the currency of the world. pic.twitter.com/CXjALsJmXx
— August Takala (@RudyTakala) June 7, 2021
However, at the beginning of this year, Trump pivoted quickly to being an advocate for Bitcoin and other digital assets.
Related: Trump wants Bitcoin ‘made in the USA’ after hosting mining industry heads
On May 26, Trump first took aim at President Joe Biden over his administration’s harsh crypto policy, declaring that the U.S. must not settle for anything but the top place in the crypto industry.
On June 16, Trump vowed to end Biden’s “war on crypto” if here to clinch an election victory on Nov. 4.
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