On Monday morning, financial markets experienced a sudden surge, driven by a rumor that President Trump was considering a 90-day suspension of global tariffs. This information, reported by some media outlets and widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), quickly fueled widespread optimism, causing both stocks and major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP to spike. However, this excitement was short-lived. Shortly afterward, the White House categorically denied the claim, labeling the news as “fake.” It turned out that Reuters had misinterpreted comments made by White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett during an interview on Fox News. The erroneous message, amplified by influential X accounts such as Zerohedge and Walter Bloomberg, added to the confusion before being corrected. This wave of misinformation triggered significant volatility. For example, Bitcoin briefly rose from $76,000 to over $80,800 before falling back below $78,600. At the time of writing, the price is hovering just north of $80,000.

Despite the overall market downturn following Trump’s announced tariffs, Bitcoin has shown remarkable resilience amid the turbulence caused by the American president’s trade policies. While these measures have disrupted both traditional and digital asset markets, Bitcoin’s current performance has proven far more stable compared to past major crises. Experts note that during events like the COVID-19 crisis or abrupt interest rate hikes, the cryptocurrency experienced declines of 50% to 70%. This time, however, the drop has been contained to around 26%, which they interpret as a sign of increased support from better-capitalized and more resilient investors. They also emphasize that this relative strength does not negate Bitcoin’s role as a risk barometer. On the contrary, it now appears to be emerging as a long-term sustainable digital asset. According to Bernstein, Bitcoin can be likened to a form of “probabilistic gold” over time — a more liquid but also more volatile version of gold.

Standard Chartered Bank believes that Bitcoin could become a hedge against economic risks stemming from escalating trade tensions, particularly due to the U.S.’s growing international isolation. According to Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Asset Research, current geopolitical uncertainty makes the U.S. dollar more vulnerable, thereby increasing Bitcoin’s appeal as a safe-haven asset. Despite a temporary drop in the cryptocurrency’s price — falling below $80,000 over the weekend — Kendrick remains optimistic. He identifies a key support level at $76,500 and notes that Bitcoin is holding up better than most major U.S. tech stocks (especially those in the “Mag7” group), except for Microsoft and Google. This reinforces the idea that Bitcoin can act as a barometer of resilience during major economic disruptions. Kendrick has now adjusted his market outlook, viewing Bitcoin not only as a hedge against American isolation in general but more specifically against tariff-related risks. He anticipates a rebound toward $84,000 if traditional markets avoid a deeper downturn. He also maintains a strong long-term bullish stance, projecting a price of up to $500,000 by 2028.

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warns of a crisis much deeper than mere trade tensions.
According to him, the recent turmoil triggered by Trump’s aggressive tariff policies is just the tip of the iceberg. What we’re witnessing, Dalio says, is a gradual collapse of the established world order — an unprecedented situation he describes as a historic shift in global geopolitical, economic, and monetary balances. Dalio, founder of Bridgewater, the world’s largest hedge fund, believes tariffs are a visible symptom of five structural forces: excessive debt accumulation, internal tensions within countries, shifting geopolitical power dynamics, natural shocks, and the impact of disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence. He specifically points to the growing imbalance between heavily indebted borrowers and lenders already saturated with bonds as the root of tensions like those between the U.S. and China.

These upheavals are also reflected in financial markets, where cryptocurrencies are so far reacting similarly to traditional equities. Bitcoin’s recent dip below $75,000, accompanied by a 7% overall drop in the crypto market, is, according to Dalio, indicative of a systemic phenomenon: the simultaneous collapse of global monetary, political, and trade pillars. This growing correlation between crypto and risk assets is also linked to the rise in U.S. bond yields, which stoke inflation fears. However, there are signs that Bitcoin could eventually decouple from traditional market dynamics. Analysts like Matthew Sigel from VanEck note that despite the sharp increase in bond yields, Bitcoin’s reaction has remained moderate — suggesting a potential emerging independence from traditional assets. This could strengthen the idea of Bitcoin as an alternative safe haven amid today’s financial system instability.

On Monday, U.S. Treasury yields rose sharply, signaling a decline in demand for these traditionally safe assets. Typically, rising yields reflect either inflation expectations or an increased need for liquidity. Several experts suggest that the uptick may be due to a combination of factors, including fears of inflation linked to new tariffs, or the selling of Treasuries by foreign creditors in retaliation. The risk, according to some analysts, is that U.S. trade partners may start offloading their American bonds en masse in response to these tensions, which would drive yields even higher. If inflation proves persistent, the Federal Reserve may be forced to maintain a tight monetary policy, negatively impacting all risk assets — including cryptocurrencies. However, some signs point to a shift in market dynamics. Unlike tech stocks, Bitcoin reacted relatively mildly to rising rates, reinforcing the idea of a potential decoupling between crypto and traditional markets. Industry figures like Matthew Sigel from VanEck believe this weak correlation could mark the beginning of a new phase in which Bitcoin follows its own trajectory, less influenced by classical economic cycles.

Cryptocurrency lawyer James Murphy claims the U.S. government may know the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. To shed light on the matter, he filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The request seeks documents that could confirm a 2019 meeting between federal agents and Bitcoin’s inventor. According to Murphy, DHS agent Rana Saoud allegedly stated during a 2019 conference that her team had identified and even interviewed Nakamoto in California. The agent reportedly described an interview attended by several individuals, during which the motivations and functioning of the Bitcoin project were discussed. If such a meeting occurred, Murphy argues there must be official records — such as notes, recordings, or correspondence. His FOIA request also seeks a copy of Saoud’s public remarks at the conference, as well as any associated documentation. He believes these materials could prove essential, especially as policymakers debate Bitcoin adoption and investment. While Murphy acknowledges the agent may have been mistaken, he is determined to pursue the matter to resolve one of the digital world’s greatest mysteries. This initiative comes amid other failed or disputed attempts to unmask Nakamoto — the most high-profile being Craig Wright, recently discredited by a U.K. court.

Teucrium Investment Advisors, a Vermont-based firm, is set to launch the first-ever exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on XRP in the U.S. this Tuesday. The fund, called the Teucrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF (XXRP), is a leveraged product designed to reflect twice the daily performance of the XRP cryptocurrency, currently the fourth largest by market capitalization. It will be listed on the NYSE Arca exchange and feature monthly distributions with a 1.85% management fee. This launch marks a first for XRP-related ETFs in the U.S. Notably, experts highlight that this leveraged product is being introduced even before a spot XRP ETF has been approved — an unusual move. While several firms like Grayscale, WisdomTree, and Bitwise have submitted applications for spot ETFs, those are still under SEC review. The likelihood of a forthcoming spot XRP ETF approval has increased following a legal settlement between Ripple Labs — the entity behind XRP — and the SEC. Ripple agreed to pay a reduced fine of $50 million, ending a prolonged legal dispute over XRP’s regulatory status. Some analysts believe this resolution removes a key obstacle, placing XRP among the frontrunners in the next wave of spot ETFs, alongside Solana. However, despite a more favorable regulatory environment, demand for a spot XRP ETF remains uncertain. Analysts note that Ethereum ETFs haven’t generated significant excitement, and many institutional investors still heavily favor Bitcoin.

Despite recent pressure from President Donald Trump’s new tariff policies, several crypto sector analysts remain optimistic about Bitcoin’s price trajectory. Influential figures from Bitwise, Standard Chartered, and Pantera Capital continue to project that Bitcoin will reach $200,000 by the end of 2025, despite current volatility. For them, the turbulence caused by tariffs is just a temporary episode in an otherwise favorable long-term context. Ryan Rasmussen, head of research at Bitwise, says the market is still digesting recent uncertainties, but that good news — such as the creation of a Bitcoin reserve by the White House, regulatory adjustments, and growing interest from sovereign wealth funds — will eventually take hold as volatility subsides. He even believes that without tariff-related fears, Bitcoin might already have reached $150,000. Geoff Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s head of digital assets, shares this optimism, reiterating his $200,000 forecast and arguing that Bitcoin remains a long-term winner. At Pantera Capital, Cosmo Jiang sees Trump’s tariffs as a temporary negotiation tactic — once tensions ease, markets, including crypto, could rebound quickly. In his view, Bitcoin, often the first to correct during uncertain times, could also be the first to recover.

Meanwhile, experts like Jess Houlgrave (Reown) remind us that the strongest digital assets — like Bitcoin or certain well-established DeFi apps — should better withstand current turbulence. However, more cautious voices like Arthur Hayes argue that Bitcoin must stay above $76,500 until April 15, the U.S. tax filing deadline, to maintain its bullish momentum.

The presented information is as of April 8th, 2025, unless otherwise indicated and is provided for information purposes only. The information comes from sources that we believe are reliable, but not guaranteed. This statement does not provide financial, legal or tax advice. Rivemont Investments are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the information or for any loss or damage suffered.