Bitcoin struggles as Trump’s tariffs push market into ‘extreme fear’

- Trump’s sweeping tariffs triggered sharp declines in Bitcoin and main cryptocurrencies.
- Market worry surged, however institutional accumulation suggests Bitcoin’s long-term resilience.
The cryptocurrency market skilled a pointy downturn after U.S. President Donald Trump declared sweeping tariffs on international commerce companions.
On the 2nd of April, Trump unveiled a ten% blanket tariff on all international locations, with greater charges imposed on nations like China, the European Union, and Japan.
His White Home remarks emphasised the purpose of rebalancing commerce dynamics, however the announcement precipitated quick market volatility.
How did Trump’s tariff affect the crypto market?
The crypto market initially surged following the announcement of a ten% sweeping tariff, however shortly reversed course as traders grasped the broader financial implications.
At press time, Bitcoin [BTC], which had briefly touched $88,500, dropped by 2.6% to succeed in $82,876. In the meantime, Ethereum [ETH] noticed a pointy 6% decline, falling from $1,934 to $1,797.
The overall crypto market cap sunk by 5.3% to $2.7 trillion, accompanied by a spike in market worry—mirrored within the Crypto Worry & Greed Index plunging to an “excessive worry” score of 25.
Including to the turmoil, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a $157.8 million outflow, with Ethereum ETFs seeing a $3.6 million withdrawal amid issues over commerce conflict escalation.
Nevertheless, on the 2nd of April, BTC ETFs saw $218.1 million in inflows, whereas ETH ETFs confronted $51.3 million in outflows as per Farside Investors.
Whereas BTC and ETH have since regained some floor, broader market sentiment stays fragile, with threat property—together with equities—experiencing comparable turbulence, because the S&P 500 worn out over $2 trillion in market cap.
Secretary Bessent and others react to Trump’s tariff plan
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to calm market jitters, cautioning U.S. buying and selling companions towards retaliatory tariffs in response to the sweeping commerce measures.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Bessent emphasised that the newly imposed tariffs symbolize the “excessive finish” of the size, suggesting that refraining from countermeasures might present a “ceiling” and much-needed certainty for international markets.
His remarks aimed to stop an escalating tariff conflict, which might additional destabilize monetary markets already reacting to heightened financial uncertainty.
Then again, Daan Crypto Trades mentioned,


Supply: Daan Crypto Trades/X
The truth is, Arthur Hayes, co-founder of the BitMEX crypto trade, additionally famous,
“Mrkt no likey “Liberation Day”, if $BTC can maintain $76.5k btw now and US tax day Apr 15, then we’re out of the woods. Don’t get chopped up!”
What lies forward?
Nevertheless, regardless of the tariff shock, on-chain knowledge highlights regular institutional accumulation, whereas technical patterns sign underlying energy reasonably than sustained decline.
Rising political help for digital property and macroeconomic modifications might strengthen Bitcoin’s function as a hedge.
This reinforces Bitcoin’s significance throughout occasions of conventional market instability, positioning it as a helpful asset in unsure situations.