Trump’s April 2 tariffs pressure crypto markets

U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned April 2 tariff announcement has intensified global trade war fears, contributing to recent declines in Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) and traditional markets.

Since Trump’s January 20 tariff declaration on Chinese goods, BTC has fallen 18% to $81,649, while the S&P 500 dropped over 7%, according to TradingView data.

Nexo’s Stella Zlatareva highlighted April 2 as a “potential flashpoint” for new trade measures targeting major U.S. partners, aiming to address the $1.2 trillion goods trade deficit.

The Washington Post reported Trump’s push for aggressive tariff policies, citing unnamed sources, further dampening investor sentiment.

Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, Bitcoin whales (holders of 1,000–10,000 BTC) have maintained accumulation efforts.

Glassnode data shows whale addresses grew from 1,956 in January to over 1,990 by March 27, though below February 2024’s peak of 2,370.

“Risk appetite remains muted amid tariff threats… but BTC accumulation by whales and a 10-day ETF inflow streak point to steady institutional demand,” noted Nexo’s Iliya Kalchev, highlighting mixed market signals.

However, the streak ended on March 28 when Fidelity’s ETF saw $93 million in outflows, per Farside Investors.

While short-term volatility persists, analysts project Bitcoin’s late-2025 price between $160,000 and $180,000.

The tariff-driven market pressures underscore crypto’s sensitivity to geopolitical developments, with April 2 likely to shape near-term trends.