April 2 Worries Wall Street And The Crypto Industry!

There are days we wait for with hope, and others we dread like a visit from the tax authorities. April 2, rebranded as “Liberation Day” by Donald Trump, falls into the latter category. On the markets, it is not a time for celebration. On Wall Street, within the global stock market, but also in the crypto market, nerves are frayed. It is not freedom that we sense approaching, but rather vertigo.

Tariffs: the threat looming over the stock market and the crypto market

With just a few days until the implementation of new tariffs promised by Trump, all investors share the same stance: cautious waiting. Financial markets show clear signs of turmoil. Since the announcement of the first tax increases in January, the price of bitcoin has dropped by 18%.

The entire crypto market seems to have curled up under the effect of an uncertain economic climate.

The American stock market, for its part, is experiencing a rocky first quarter. The dollar is seeing its worst performance at the start of the year since 2008, while gold is showing its best quarter since 1986. A clear shift towards safe havens.

And what about the tech stocks? They are faltering. The Nasdaq lost 4% in March.

On X, Seth Golden drew a chilling parallel between the tariffs of 2018 and those of 2025. Back then, the stock market dropped by 13% in two months. This year, the first alert was dated January 26… and since then, losses have been piling up.

In this context, crypto serves as a barometer of fear. Far from being spared, it reflects investors’ hesitations.

But is this an excessive reaction or a legitimate alarm signal for the weeks to come?

“Liberation Day”: a project of sovereignty or a leap into the unknown?

Behind the marketing slogan of “Liberation”, lies a massive tariff plan. Trump plans to tax several key sectors: automotive, copper, pharmaceuticals, timber. These increases could reach as high as 60% for certain products.

Goal: to relocate production and force foreign partners to yield.

But in reality, it is the consumers who might bear the brunt. As Lloyd Doggett tweeted:

On April 2, Trump will mainly release dollars from your wallet.

This bitter pun illustrates a widespread fear: a surge in prices for American households.

Experts are also questioning the timing. Growth is slowing, trade tensions are rising, and businesses lack visibility. Even within the Republican camp, some of the president’s allies express their discomfort.

The crypto market, often seen as an alternative to fiat currencies, is also impacted. BTC, although partially decoupled, remains sensitive to macroeconomic movements. When the economy trembles, crypto wobbles too.

Is the liberation intended by Trump at risk of producing the opposite effect and trapping the economy in a spiral of turbulence?

What are seasoned investors doing? Anticipation, caution, and silent movements

In the face of uncertainty, the most seasoned investors act methodically. This is not the time for reckless bets, but for precise adjustments. On traditional markets, flows are moving towards gold. Purchase volumes of ETFs backed by the yellow metal jumped by 20% in the first quarter.

Bitcoin whale addresses – Source: Glassnode

In crypto, the movements are subtler, but just as revealing. The whales, the large holders of bitcoin, continue to accumulate despite the drop . Their strategy: to buy at bargain prices, betting on a future rebound. Furthermore, the flows towards crypto ETFs are tentatively on the rise, signaling a renewed institutional interest. Even amidst turmoil, some retain confidence in the long-term fundamentals of BTC.

Some investors are betting on a stabilization post-tariff. Others expect a more pronounced correction, especially if the side effects on consumption are too violent.

• Bitcoin has lost 18% since January;
• Gold has gained 9.3% in the first quarter;
• The dollar shows -2.7% for the same period;
• The Nasdaq is down 4% in March;
• Crypto: increase in withdrawals to cold wallets.

In this environment, caution prevails. But among the experienced, anticipation is key. As always, cycles return… differently.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies know how to be reborn. Even when everything seems lost, they surprise. Their winter never really lasts. But the dollar, on the other hand, shows signs of deep fatigue. Some analysts talk about an irreversible decline . And if, this time, America was mainly releasing the end of a monetary era?