Elon Musk changed his X profile picture to the Bitcoin-related laser eyes symbolism, triggering a reaction across the cryptocurrency community.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has adopted a new X profile picture of himself in an armor suit with laser blue eyes and the American flag in the background. The laser eye meme, which originated from the Mass Effect 2 game in 2010, has become a symbol of empowerment in the crypto community. The crypto community adopted it in 2021.
Elon Musks new profile image with laser eyes
Musk’s move follows reports that President Joe Biden has announced the end of his re-election campaign. The crypto community, which largely favors Biden’s rival, former President Donald Trump, views this development as a positive sign for Trump’s potential return to office.
Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the Biden administration’s approach to crypto regulation. He has pledged to protect the rights of Bitcoin and crypto miners, which has further endeared him to the crypto community.
Along with changing his profile, Musk expressed his belief in an America that maximizes individual freedom and merit. The billionaire has often made headlines in the crypto scene, especially from his support of Dogecoin. Laser eyes are a common symbol in the crypto space, signifying support for Bitcoin.
Notably, just like Trump, Musk is also suspected of appearing at the 2024 Bitcoin Conference and has arrived in Tennessee for the same. The billionaire changed his profile picture the day he landed in the city where the conference will be hosted.
Crypto Leaders Follow the Trend
Musk’s new profile picture is part of a broader trend where several American crypto-friendly figures have made a similar move. Marc Andreessen, co-founder of the web browser Netscape and the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), also joined the trend.
Andreessen posted an image of an anime character with laser eyes and the American flag on X shortly after news of Biden’s withdrawal broke. He even changed his profile picture to this new image.
Similarly, Ryan Selkis, the founder of the crypto research firm Messari, also updated his profile picture to reflect the laser eye theme.
This course of action from Musk is beyond the purpose of aesthetics, as he made a similar move earlier this year when he changed his display picture to that of an anime woman with glowing red eyes. This occurred a few weeks before Bitcoin soared to its all-time high of $73,750 on March 14.