The escalation of trade tensions between the United States and China is once again disrupting global financial markets.

Cryptocurrencies and tech stocks are taking the full impact of the new tariff measures announced by the Trump administration

The escalation of trade tensions between the United States and China is once again disrupting global financial markets. Cryptocurrencies and tech stocks are taking the full impact of the new tariff measures announced by the Trump administration, which imposed duties reaching up to 245% on certain Chinese imports.

The White House officially announced on April 15 a series of tariff measures against Chinese products, rekindling tensions with Beijing in a context of an increasingly strategic trade war.

These sanctions include a reciprocal tariff of 125%, a 20% tax related to the fentanyl crisis, and additional duties ranging from 7.5% to 100% on certain specific products.

This decision marks the beginning of “a new phase of the trade war“, according to Aurélie Barthere, lead analyst at Nansen. This escalation particularly targets high value-added sectors such as technology and the pharmaceutical industry.

Data from Nansen show that cryptocurrencies and American stocks have been moving in strong correlation since November 2024. This downward trend intensified during the recent correction, with investors reducing exposure to assets considered risky, especially those seen as “expensive”.

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) perfectly illustrates this situation. The American semiconductor giant saw its shares drop 8% after announcing a potential loss of $5.5 billion related to export restrictions on its H20 chips to China.

In the face of rising tariff tensions and inflation concerns, the speech by the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, at the upcoming FOMC meeting on May 6 will be closely watched.

Analysts from the exchange Bitfinex told Cointelegraph that a firm tone from Powell could trigger another drop in risk assets such as bitcoin.

Conversely, “a more nuanced stance could calm the markets“, which already experienced significant rebounds last week on many risk assets.

The crypto market volatility amid macroeconomic news does not reflect a change in fundamentals, but rather cautious positioning and shaken investor confidence.

In this context of uncertainty, gold continues to affirm itself as the ultimate safe haven, reaching a historic high of $3,300 an ounce. Meanwhile, the bitcoin price has heavily dropped, with some analysts, including those from QCP Capital, questioning its role as a safe haven.

Finally, the recovery of the market will largely depend on the progress of tariff negotiations, with a potential resolution expected by June 2025, according to forecasts from Nansen analysts.