While global financial markets have been rattled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff policy announcements, the cryptocurrency space has demonstrated surprising resilience. According to an April 11 note from Greg Cipolaro, global head of research at New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), digital assets have remained relatively calm amidst the broader market chaos.
Stability Amid Traditional Market Declines
Trump’s unexpected move on April 2 to impose sweeping global tariffs—only to partially backtrack a week later—sent shockwaves through stocks, bonds, and foreign exchange markets. Yet, Cipolaro noted, “Despite the carnage in traditional financial markets, the crypto markets have been relatively orderly.”
The crypto analyst highlighted how, in previous periods of market-wide risk aversion, digital assets usually saw heightened volatility. However, that pattern hasn’t played out this time, at least not to the same degree. He added that crypto perpetual futures funding rates “have been persistently positive,” despite a short-lived liquidation surge following the initial tariff announcement.
Limited Impact on Stablecoins and Liquidations
When Trump first unveiled the tariffs on April 2, they affected nearly all global partners but were paused just days after taking effect on April 9—leaving China subject to tariffs as high as 145%. This about-face did little to clarify the administration’s stance and further destabilized investor confidence.
Still, Cipolaro pointed out that the liquidations seen in crypto markets on April 6 and 7 totaled just $480 million, which he described as “well below other notable liquidation events.” Even Tether (USDT), the stablecoin often viewed as a barometer for crypto confidence, dipped slightly below $1 without triggering a mass sell-off.
Bitcoin Proving Its Worth as a Store of Value
Bitcoin (BTC), which currently trades at around $84,730 according to CoinGecko, hasn’t been entirely immune to volatility. Since its peak of over $108,000 in mid-January, it has declined by 22.5%. However, Cipolaro emphasized that “at current prices [it] has fared far better than many other asset classes.”
He believes Bitcoin’s muted volatility in the face of such geopolitical shocks is turning heads. “Perhaps investors are increasingly searching for stores of value not tied to sovereign countries and thus not affected by the trade turmoil.”
Attractive to Risk-Parity Investors
One of the key dynamics Cipolaro identified is Bitcoin’s appeal to funds that use risk-parity strategies. These portfolios seek to balance risk rather than capital, and the narrowing volatility gap between Bitcoin and traditional assets may make it a more attractive addition.
“Risk parity funds allocating to Bitcoin can help dampen its volatility — making the asset more attractive and potentially reinforcing a virtuous cycle of increased adoption and stability,” Cipolaro explained.
Caution From Technical Indicators
Despite the optimism from NYDIG, not everyone is convinced the crypto market is out of the woods. Ruslan Lienkha, chief of markets at YouHodler, noted that a bearish technical pattern could be forming.
In a note dated April 12, Lienkha warned of a potential “death cross,” where the 50-day moving average falls below the 200-day moving average. He described this as “generally considered a bearish signal for the medium term, suggesting that markets may struggle to sustain upward momentum without a clear catalyst or a stream of positive macroeconomic developments.”
