Crypto markets had a rather stressful start to August. US President Donald Trump's announcement of new tariffs and the strengthening of the dollar unsettled investors. A sell-off in global markets saw cryptocurrencies bear the brunt of this pressure. The global crypto market capitalization fell approximately 4% to $3.74 trillion, with more than 183,000 investors liquidating and closing positions totaling $758 million.
Bitcoin hits $114,000, Ethereum drops below $3,600
Bitcoin's price fell to $114,200 following Trump's statements. Although it quickly recovered to above $115,000, volatility remained high. Ethereum (ETH), despite being one of last month's biggest gainers, traded in lockstep with BTC, falling sharply from $3,860 to $3,600. During this period, the dollar index (DXY) rose above 100, its highest level since May. This rise was supported by the global liquidity squeeze and the search for safe havens.
According to CoinGlass data, this selling wave in the last 24 hours resulted in a total of $758 million in liquidations. Long positions comprised 93% of these liquidations, or $706.6 million. The largest single liquidation was a $13.79 million ETHUSD_PERP position on Binance. This suggests that many investors expected the bull run to continue in August, but the markets moved in the opposite direction.
According to market data, Bitcoin recorded profits of between $6 billion and $8 billion at the end of July. This figure is on par with the peaks in March and December 2024 and indicates the third major wave of profit-taking in this bull cycle. New large investors (whales) are seen selling, particularly in areas above $120,000. Bitcoin is trading at $115,035 at the time of writing, while the fear and greed index is neutral.
Altcoins are losing ground: DOGE, ADA, and SUI crashed
Altcoins' losses have been even more severe. XRP and Solana prices have fallen by more than 7%, while Cardano (ADA) has lost 8% and SUI by 10%. Dogecoin (DOGE) fell 9% to $0.205. Ethereum, the largest altcoin, is trading at $3,627 with a 6% loss.
CryptoQuant reports a boom in altcoin futures trading. While Bitcoin dominance has been flat, futures volumes for coins like Ethereum have increased significantly. ETH is up 170% from its recent lows and is only 23% from its peak. Meanwhile, BTC transactions below $10,000 have increased by 10% in the past month, indicating a resurgence of retail investor interest.
Trump's new tariffs: Tensions rising in the global economy
Trump's new tariff announcements have further escalated tensions in global trade. The US's imposition of a 10% minimum tariff on all countries, along with a 15% additional tax on countries with a trade surplus, has shaken markets. These developments have impacted not only cryptocurrencies but also traditional finance. S&P 500 futures fell nearly 1% Friday morning. Amazon shares also fell 8% in premarket trading after the earnings report fell short of expectations.
The failure of major companies like Microsoft and Meta to satisfy investors despite their strong balance sheets has further weakened risk appetite. Meanwhile, today's US employment data is also critical for markets. Only 100,000 new jobs are expected in July, and the unemployment rate is projected to rise to 4.2%.
Trump's aggressive economic moves and the Fed's decision to hold interest rates steady have left markets mired in uncertainty. Cryptocurrency investors are currently caught between two fires: concerns about inflation and interest rate policy on one side, and the re-escalation of global trade wars on the other. In the short term, volatility is expected to remain high, prompting cautious investment behavior.
