Trump’s Liberation Day: The Aftermath

News | Thought leadership | Price predictions

Good morning, and welcome to the Cryptopolitan Daily.

The crypto market never sleeps, and neither do we. Whether it’s breaking news, market shifts, or regulatory updates, we’re here to bring you the insights that matter—fast, sharp, and to the point.

Market-moving headlines 🔥

3 April– President Trump has finally revealed the long-awaited tariff rates on U.S. trading partners. Standing in front of the White House Rose Garden on April 2, he delivered what the administration had dramatically dubbed “Liberation Day”.

For weeks, April 2 dominated headlines as global markets and policymakers speculated on the scope of Trump’s trade policies. Would the U.S. impose sweeping tariffs and risk igniting a full-scale trade war? Or would the administration soften its stance?

The uncertainty only deepened as Trump’s messaging switched between extremes—from pledging harsh, reciprocatory tariffs on nearly every country to hinting at a more restrained approach.

Speaking at the White House just two days before the announcement, Trump signaled a toned-down version of his initial stance:

This constant policy switcheroo kept global markets on edge, creating the potential for major price swings in either direction.

The “Crypto President” disclosed the much awaited Tariffs yesterday at 4:00 PM EST.

Here’s what happened

The address began with a clear agenda of the Trump administration.

In a few minutes in to the address Trump made it very clear what was going to happen

The Trump administration announced reciprocal tariffs but with a twist, and dubbed them as “Discounted Reciprocal Tariffs”, implying that the U.S would not impose the same tariffs on trade partners but a “discounted rate”.

Soon the president presented a chart with a list of the tariffs that they will impose.

The list did not look any good. At first sight the discount that the U.S seems to be offering is a 50% less rate compared to what the country imposes on U.S goods, but exact mathematics used is still not disclosed.

Asian countries like China, Thailand, Vietnam, India were hit hard with tariffs ranging from 25% to 50%. The European Union also faced the heat with a tariff rate of 20% and the UK was given a lenient sight with 10% rate.

Two very important countries were left out of the list– Canada and Mexico—but they aren’t in the clear. 

Both countries still face existing 25% tariffs on certain goods due to earlier fentanyl and migration-related orders under the IEEPA. Non-USMCA-compliant goods will also be hit with a 25% tariff, while energy and potash imports face a 10% levy. The White House confirmed that as long as these orders remain, the new tariffs won’t apply. 

In a surprising turn of events– Russia and North Korea were not in the list too, but partly due to the existing sanctions imposed on them.

Trump also announced a flat 10% rate on the rest of the world and in a very bold move a 25% tariff on all foreign made automobiles.

The Market’s react- Tariffs spark sell-off

Traders wasted no time reacting to the tariff announcement, and the verdict was clear—SODL. 

Bitcoin dropped 5%, sliding from nearly $88,000 to around $83,000, while Ethereum and XRP fell 4% and 6%, respectively.

According to Coinglass, 158,546 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours, wiping out $487 million in positions. BULLISH traders took the bigger hit, with $260 million in long positions liquidated compared to $227 million in shorts.

The broader crypto market wasn’t spared, shedding $200 billion in market capitalization from its after-hours peak as volatility spiked across digital assets.

Equities weren’t spared. Shares of Apple (AAPL), which relies heavily on manufacturing in China, Vietnam, and India, fell 6%. Tesla (TSLA) dropped 4%, while retail heavyweights Amazon (AMZN) and Walmart (WMT) lost 5% and 6%, respectively.

Investors rushed to gold as a safe haven– which has already broken it all time high multiple times this year. Read our detail analysis on the “Gold Bull Run”

What’s next

The announcement triggered an initial panic sell-off in crypto markets, but a closer look reveals that tariffs don’t directly impact digital assets—after all, cryptocurrencies aren’t bound by traditional import-export dynamics. 

Those familiar with the broader philosophy of blockchain understand this well.

At its core, crypto is designed to transcend borders, resist restrictions, and empower individuals with financial sovereignty. With this realization settling in, markets are already showing signs of a mild recovery.

Enjoyed this edition? Share it with your network and keep the conversation going.