Former US President Donald Trump said he supports the cryptocurrency industry because it benefits the country, and asserted that the US should lead the global encryption race before China or any other country.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Mr. Trump emphasized the strategic importance of cryptocurrency, saying that America's "ignorance" of this field will create conditions for competitors, especially China, to rise to dominance. “They (China) are very advanced in this area,” he warned. “My top priority has always been what is best for America, and we cannot let this opportunity slip away.”

The potential Republican presidential candidate also rejected the notion that “the cryptocurrency wave will soon die out.” At the same time, he revealed plans to release a new NFT collection. 

“I've done it three times already, and will continue to do it again because that's what people want,” Mr. Trump shared in the interview. Previously, the former US President attracted attention when releasing card-themed NFTs, giving buyers unique privileges such as owning a part of his outfit or the opportunity to attend a private dinner party.

According to Mr. Trump, the US cryptocurrency industry has a “good foundation for development” although it is still in its infancy. He also revealed that he had the opportunity to meet and discuss with many prominent figures in this field.

The path to cryptocurrency advocacy

Previously, Mr. Trump had a rather tough stance on cryptocurrencies. However, in recent months, he has made a clear change, as shown by accepting campaign contributions in cryptocurrency (earning 3 million USD in the last quarter alone) and pledging to support the Bitcoin community if he is elected. 

Many big names in the cryptocurrency industry, such as Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, Ark Invest CEO Cathie Woods and Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell, have voiced their support or donations. contributed to Mr. Trump's election campaign.

Recently, Mr. Trump also chose Senator J.D. Vance, who is open to cryptocurrency, as his vice presidential candidate. Mr. Vance once criticized the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a lawsuit targeting startup DEBT Box operating in the field of cryptocurrency.

This event shows that cryptocurrency is increasingly becoming a hot topic in American politics, promising to be one of the top issues of concern in the upcoming presidential election. 

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