#TrumpTariffs

While Donald Trump’s tariffs primarily targeted global trade in physical goods, their ripple effects extended into financial markets, including cryptocurrency. The tariffs, especially during the U.S.-China trade war, created uncertainty in global markets. As a result, investors increasingly turned to alternative assets like Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as potential hedges against geopolitical risk and fiat currency instability.

During periods of heightened trade tensions, particularly in 2018 and 2019, there were noticeable upticks in crypto trading volumes and price movements. Bitcoin was often viewed as “digital gold,” attracting investors seeking to escape volatility in traditional markets triggered by tariff announcements. Chinese investors, in particular, looked toward crypto as a way to mitigate the impact of a weakening yuan, partly driven by tariffs.

However, the Trump administration itself took a skeptical stance on cryptocurrencies. Trump publicly criticized Bitcoin, calling it “not money” and “based on thin air,” and his regulators pushed for tighter scrutiny of crypto exchanges and ICOs.

In essence, while Trump tariffs didn’t directly regulate crypto, they contributed to market conditions that sometimes boosted crypto demand. At the same time, the administration’s tough regulatory tone kept the U.S. crypto environment cautious, limiting broader institutional adoption during that period.