Trump Meme Coin Promises to Celebrate a Leader Who Doesn't Back Down

Some 200m of the digital tokens have been issued and another 800m will be released in the next three years, the coin's website said.

Former US President Donald Trump has launched his own digital trading card collection, featuring images of himself dressed as a superhero, an astronaut and a cowboy.

The non-fungible tokens (NFTs) went on sale on Thursday for $99 each (about £84), and will be available for purchase for the next seven days, according to the coin's website.

The cards can be traded, gifted or displayed on a user's online profile.

Each card features a unique image of Mr Trump, with some rarer than others, and can be used to enter a competition to win prizes such as dinner with the former president.

"This Trump Meme celebrates a leader who doesn't back down, no matter the odds," the website said.

It included a disclaimer noting the coin is "not intended to be, or the subject of" an investment opportunity or a security and was "not political and has nothing to do with" any political campaign, political office or government agency.

Some 200m of the digital tokens have been issued and another 800m will be released in the next three years, the coin's website said.

The move comes as Mr Trump, who left office in January 2021, prepares to announce another run for the presidency.

Critics accused Mr Trump of cashing in on the presidency.

"Trump owning 80 percent and timing launch hours before inauguration is predatory and many will likely get hurt by it," Nick Tomaino, a crypto venture capitalist, said in a social media post.

Such digital tokens are notorious for speculators using hype to pump up the value before selling at the top of the market, leaving latecomers to count their losses as the price crashes.

Cryptocurrency investors are hoping the Trump administration will boost the industry.

President Joe Biden's regulators cited concerns about fraud and money laundering as they cracked down on crypto companies by suing exchanges.

Mr Trump was previously skittish about cryptocurrency, but at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville last year he said America would be "the crypto capital of the planet" once he returned to Washington.

His sons Erik and Donald Jr announced their own crypto venture last year.