The cryptocurrency market is experiencing significant volatility due to escalating global tensions that have spilled over from the stock markets. Donald Trump’s recently implemented aggressive tariff policy has resulted in a substantial decline in business activity, while China’s retaliatory measures have further intensified the pressure. Last week, U.S. equities experienced widespread losses in market capitalization, and in the past 24 hours alone, 345,739 traders were liquidated, with total cryptocurrency liquidations reaching $1.2 billion.
A glimmer of optimism emerges from the fact that Trump has temporarily ceased implementing unexpected policies. This development suggests that markets may soon begin to acclimate to this evolving geopolitical landscape. Let us delve into the unfolding chaos:
- Trump Declares Economic Emergency, Reinstates Tariffs. President Trump signed an executive order returning the U.S. to the 2018-era tariff regime — this time with extra muscle. Not only is China in the crosshairs, but so are the EU, Japan, Canada, and Switzerland. Officially, it’s to “protect the national economy.” In reality, it’s aggressive protectionism at scale.
- China Hits Back: 34% Tariffs on U.S. Imports from April 10. Beijing responded quickly. Starting April 10, China will impose a sweeping 34% tariff on U.S. goods, ranging from cars to agricultural products. The trade war has entered a hot phase, with crypto caught in the crossfire.
- Fed Chair Powell: “No Rate Cuts Yet Due to Inflation Uncertainty”. The Federal Reserve is holding off on cutting interest rates as tariffs risk reigniting inflation. With inflation still the Fed’s top concern, don’t expect cheap capital anytime soon.
- Tesla Reports -13% in Deliveries — Worst Quarter in 3 Years. Tesla’s sales plunged, citing logistics issues, declining demand, and macroeconomic turbulence. Elon Musk says he’ll fix it… again. Markets aren’t convinced.
- China Restricts Investments in U.S. Companies. As part of its retaliation, China is tightening outbound investments, limiting fund flows into U.S. firms. This could impact major U.S. tech players that have long relied on Eastern capital inflows.
- Congress Advances Stablecoin Bill. A major regulatory milestone: a new bill regulating stablecoin issuance passed a key House committee. Issuers will need to follow bank-like rules, which could legitimize the market — but also squeeze out smaller players.
- Strategy Buys Another $1.92B in Bitcoin. Michael Saylor’s company is at it again — 22,048 BTC acquired this week at a cost of $1.92 billion. Strategy now holds a mind-blowing 528,185 BTC, doubling down on its “Bitcoin as a core treasury asset” strategy.
- Justin Sun Tanked FDUSD by 12%. In a controversial post, Justin Sun warned that First Digital Trust may be insolvent and urged users to exit FDUSD. The stablecoin plummeted 12% before recovering. Sun is now being accused of spreading FUD for personal gain.
- Public Miners Lost $6B in March. Fourteen of the top public mining firms saw massive losses last month due to rising hash rates and declining BTC prices. March marked their worst performance on record.
- Mastercard Testing Crypto Payments. Mastercard is piloting crypto payments for everyday purchases using Bitcoin and other digital assets under its Crypto Credential program. When a TradFi titan like Mastercard moves, the rest of the market listens.
- GameStop Raises $1.5B to Buy BTC. Yes, that GameStop. The meme stock legend is back — this time with a corporate strategy to add BTC to its balance sheet and explore a Web3 platform.
- Tether Buys 8,888 BTC for $734M. Tether continues diversifying its reserves with a symbolic purchase of 8,888 BTC — worth $734 million. In Chinese culture, 8 is a lucky number, often associated with wealth and prosperity. Message received.
- Circle’s IPO Coming in Late April. Circle, the issuer of USDC, is preparing to go public by the end of the month. A successful IPO could mark a pivotal moment for crypto’s entry into mainstream finance.
- Upcoming major token unlocks:
- CHEEL: $160.67M
- APT: $47.39M (1.9%)
- SAGA: $31.42M (118.4%)
- AXS: $21.09M (5.6%)
- MOVE: $15.10M (2.0%)
- TNSR: $13.68M (35.9%)
ChinaitechPay reminds you that this article is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide investment advice. All purchases and cryptocurrency investments are your own responsibility.
