Altcoins

Crypto Markets Lose $1 Trillion as U.S. Tariff Tensions Spark Global Sell-Off

By Anthony Clarke

Last Updated: Apr 8, 2025

Fact checked

By Sam Cooling

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Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital. 99Bitcoins may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. All our recommendations follow a thorough review process.
Crypto markets have lost over $1tn in market cap after Trump Tariffs sparked a major global sell-off over the past week.
Disclaimer Icon
Disclaimer
Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital. 99Bitcoins may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. All our recommendations follow a thorough review process.

The crypto market just took a punch to the gut, hard. A whopping $1 trillion in market cap vanished in a flash as the latest round of U.S. tariff announcements sent shockwaves through both traditional and digital markets. And no, this crypto crash wasn’t an April Fool’s joke.

Bitcoin dropped below the $80,000 line as it tripped over itself, slipping over 5% in 24 hours to around $79,000. That might not sound catastrophic if you’re new here, but for longtime holders, this felt eerily similar to the gut-wrenching flash crashes of the past. The cause? A not-so-friendly tariff back-and-forth between the U.S. and China that spooked the broader economy—and crypto didn’t get a free pass.

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To make matters worse, more than $250 million worth of long positions were liquidated across major exchanges. Basically, many bullish traders got wiped out because prices dropped faster than they could react. It was the biggest liquidation event since early March and a brutal reminder that leverage can be your worst enemy on days like this.

Meanwhile, Ethereum didn’t fare much better. ETH slid under $1,600, shedding more than 14% of its value. It wasn’t alone—most altcoins followed suit like dominoes. It’s becoming clear: even if crypto doesn’t live in the same house as Wall Street, it still shares the same storm clouds.

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Trump Tariffs Trigger Crypto Crash: Broader Financial Market Repercussions

This wasn’t just a crypto crash problem, though—it was a global market mess. U.S. stocks tanked for the third day straight. The S&P 500 dipped over 3%, the Nasdaq sank 4%, and the Dow dropped almost 1,100 points. Not great.

Things looked even worse overseas. Germany’s DAX fell more than 6%, and Taiwan’s TAIEX nosedived almost 10% after getting slammed with a brutal 32% U.S. tariff. Over in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng plummeted more than 13%, as investors everywhere braced for potential global fallout.

The fear? These tariffs are more than just political posturing—they might actually choke economic growth worldwide. And with investors already on edge, crypto just happened to be in the line of fire like everything else.

BTC USD Investor Sentiment and Market Outlook For Recovery

Now, here’s the kicker: Bitcoin has often been called “digital gold”—a safe haven when things get rocky. But this week’s price action is putting that narrative to the test. Instead of decoupling from the chaos, it got dragged down with the rest of the market.

Some still argue that Bitcoin is immune to trade tariffs—it’s decentralized, borderless, and doesn’t ship in crates. But when fear grips the financial system, even digital assets can’t hide. For now, Bitcoin behaves more like a tech stock than a bunker asset.

Bottom line? Until things cool down geopolitically, expect choppy waters ahead. Whether you’re holding crypto, stocks, or just watching from the sidelines, buckle up—this ride’s far from over.

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Key Takeaways

  • Since Donald Trump Signed Trade Tariffs on April 2 Global Markets Have Been in Turmoil.
  • So Far, The Overall Crypto Market Cap Has Shed -$1Tn in Value.
  • Bitcoin Has Lost Key Support Above $80,000 and ETH has Dropped Below $1,600.
  • Losses Aren’t Exclusive to Crypto, The S&P500 Dropped -3% and NASDAQ -4%.

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Anthony Clarke
Anthony Clarke
Crypto Writer

Anthony Clarke's crypto journey began in 2017, sparked by a discovery on Quora. After purchasing Bitcoin and Verge as his first cryptocurrencies, he developed a deep interest in the emerging world of blockchain technology. This led him to begin writing... Read More

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