First Lady Melania Trump announced Thursday that she is launching a non-fungible token (NFT) initiative, with the proceeds going to a charity dedicated to helping kids who age out of foster care.
Buyers have until the end of the month to purchase the First Lady’s NFT. The NFT is a watercolor painting that the artist Marc-Antonine says, “embodies Mrs. Trump’s cobalt blue eyes, providing the collector with an amulet to inspire.”
The digital artwork will be sold using a form of cryptocurrency, which is the equivalent of $180 and includes an audio recording of Mrs. Trump.
In a statement released by the Office of Melania Trump said, “I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative.” She added, “Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community.”
Trump’s new NFT can be purchased on her website and can also be purchased with a credit card.
What is an NFT?
You may be wondering, “what is an NFT?”
Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. NFTs are the latest craze among investors and can be hard to comprehend because the product being purchased doesn’t come in a physical form.
NFTs are digital “assets” that use blockchain technology to set one asset apart from any other. Once an NFT is created, it cannot be replicated.
Blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that documents transactions, ownership, and validity so that each NFT can be tracked.
NFT’s include, jpegs, and video clips, and some are going for top-dollar.
Arguably the most famous NFT sold was Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s original tweet.
In 2006, Twitter’s Jack Dorsey created his first tweet on his Twitter platform. Fast forward fifteen years, and Dorsey‘s NFT of that tweet sold for $2.9 million to Oracle Corp. CEO Sina Estavi.
The First Lady’s press statement also stated that she would be releasing NFTs in regular intervals, with a one-of-a-kind auction of historical importance scheduled for January 2022.
The NFT announced this week, “Melania’s Vision,” will only be available for a limited time between Dec. 16, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021.