- Bitcoin held firm above $83K while traditional markets plunged following China’s retaliatory tariffs.
- Crypto-related stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy fell, but major coins like Dogecoin and Solana saw solid gains.
- Analysts say Bitcoin’s resilience reflects growing global demand and its role as a hedge against shifting trade dynamics.
Bitcoin managed to stay afloat Friday even as U.S. markets buckled under pressure from escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
The leading cryptocurrency ticked up 1.7%, trading around $83,396, according to Coin Metrics. Altcoins joined the rally too—XRP and Solana rose roughly 3% each, while Dogecoin popped 6%.
On the flip side, crypto-adjacent stocks didn’t fare as well. Coinbase fell around 8%, and MicroStrategy slipped a little over 1%. Meanwhile, gold, usually a safe haven during chaos, was surprisingly down—spot prices dropped 2.6% to $3,038 an ounce.
Tariffs Shake Markets, Crypto Shows Resilience
China’s latest response to President Trump’s sweeping new tariffs—another 34% slapped on U.S. goods—continued to rattle investor sentiment. Traditional markets slumped deeper, while crypto markets showed some backbone.
“Tariffs raise costs across the board,” said James Davies, CEO of Crypto Valley Exchange. “That pushes capital eastward, away from the U.S., which actually favors decentralized assets like crypto. It’s not totally clear how U.S.-based crypto companies come out of this, but the broader space stands to benefit.”
Bitcoin Hangs In Tight Range, But Demand Feels Solid
According to David Hernandez from 21Shares, Bitcoin is still respecting its support levels. Despite Thursday’s brief drop on Trump’s tariff news, BTC mostly stayed between $81K and $83K.
He added that the lack of a crypto-specific catalyst has kept BTC trading in a fairly tight $80K–$90K range over the past month, mostly following cues from equity market sentiment.
Davies pointed out a bigger trend: “Crypto’s global. The U.S. makes up maybe 20% of the market now. Bitcoin’s like the warning bell for liquidity—it reacts first, but it also recovers first.”
So even while traditional stocks stumble, Bitcoin seems to be doing its own thing—for now.
