Bitcoin, altcoins, and the stock market continued their downward trend on Friday as the trade war between the U.S. and China escalated.

Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped to $82,000, erasing some of the gains made during the Asian and European markets. Ethereum (ETH) dropped below $1,800, while the market cap of all coins fell to $2.64 trillion.

The stock market’s performance was even worse as futures tied to the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 indices plunged by over 3%. This means that these blue-chip indices have all moved into a correction. 

Trade war escalates

Bitcoin, altcoins, and equities declined after China announced its retaliatory measures against the U.S. In a statement, Beijing said it would impose a 34% tariff on all goods imported from the U.S.

In addition, China will restrict exports of certain rare earth minerals, halt sorghum imports from U.S. companies, and add 11 American firms to its unreliable entity list.

These measures mark the most significant response to Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs. Other countries, especially those in Europe, have called for negotiations to prevent the trade war from expanding.

Trump and senior officials have warned that the U.S. will deliver reciprocal tariffs on any country that retaliates. They’ve urged trading partners to lower their tariffs and non-tariff barriers instead.

Therefore, Bitcoin, altcoins, and the stock market are falling as these actions lead to higher odds of a recession. Polymarket data shows that traders have boosted their recession odds to 56%. Companies like Goldman Sachs and PIMCO have also boosted their recession odds. 

These fears have pushed market sentiment into extreme territory. The CNN Money Fear and Greed Index dropped to 6, the lowest reading since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investor pessimism intensified after billionaire and former Bond King Bill Gross warned against buying the dip. He said:

“Investors should not try to ‘catch a falling knife. This is an epic economic and market event similar to 1971 and the end of the gold standard except with immediate negative consequences.”

Bitcoin, altcoins, and the stock market fall after NFP data

Markets also weakened after the U.S. released the latest nonfarm payrolls (NFP) report. The data showed that unemployment rose to 4.2% in March, up from 4.1% in February.

The economy added 228,000 jobs, beating analysts’ median forecast of 137,000. However, the manufacturing sector, which Trump aims to protect with his tariff policy, created just 1,000 jobs.

These figures will likely have minimal impact on the Federal Reserve, which remains focused on inflation and GDP growth.

Meanwhile, the bond market is signaling expectations of lower interest rates. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 3.89%, while the 30-year and 2-year yields declined to 4.38% and 3.5%, respectively. If the Fed cuts rates, it would likely be bullish for Bitcoin, altcoins, and the broader stock market.

Risk sentiment worsened during the European hours Friday after China announced retaliatory tariffs on all goods, responding to Trump’s Wednesday decision to boost the overall levy on Chinese goods to 54%.

Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market value, fell by $1,600 to $83,000, erasing the early rise to $84,600, CoinDesk data shows. Other tokens like XRP, ETH, SOL and DOGE also reversed early gains to trade largely flat on the day.

Meanwhile, futures tied to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell over 2% amid escalating global trade tensions.

“China’s response is not only negative for the U.S. but it is also impacting the global outlook,” ForexLive’s analyst Justin Low wrote in a market update.

Market Recovery Amid Institutional Confidence

The cryptocurrency market remains in turbulent territory as Toncoin (TON) demonstrates both significant volatility and remarkable resilience.

After forming a head-and-shoulders pattern with strong resistance at $4.15, TON has recovered from its recent lows. It is now trading at $4.13 with a 12.5% weekly gain.

This recovery comes amid news that leading venture capital firms, including Sequoia, Ribbit Capital, and Benchmark, collectively hold over $400 million in TON, signaling institutional confidence in the blockchain’s future.

TON Technical Analysis Highlights

• Price action formed a head-and-shoulders pattern with resistance at $4.15 and support at $3.60.
• The support level at $3.60 was breached during the April 3rd selloff.
• Volume analysis shows distribution phases coinciding with price peaks, suggesting institutional profit-taking.
• Fibonacci retracement indicates potential stabilization around the 0.618 level at $3.58.
• Cup-and-handle formation appeared during recovery with initial resistance at $3.58.
• Strong buying pressure was observed during the 15:32-15:34 and 15:58 periods.
• Price reclaimed the Fibonacci 0.382 level at $3.59, suggesting potential continuation toward $3.65.

Disclaimer: This article was generated with AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy. This article may include information from external sources, which are listed below when applicable.

• TheNewsCrypto, “Toncoin (TON) Eyes $4 as Bullish Momentum Builds,” accessed April 3, 2025
• CryptoNews, “Is This the Next Solana? Toncoin’s $400 Million VC Investment Surge Signals Explosive Upside,” accessed April 3, 2025
• CryptoDaily, “AI Predicts 12,500% Gains for Remittix (RTX), 232% for Chainlink (LINK) — But to Sell Toncoin (TON), Shiba Inu (SHIB) Fast,” accessed April 3, 2025
• TheNewsCrypto, “Toncoin (TON) Price Prediction,” accessed April 3, 2025
• Bitcoin Sistemi, “Top Crypto Platforms: Binance Coin, BlockDAG, Tron, Toncoin Poised for Major Growth in 2025,” accessed April 3, 2025