Financial markets gave risk-on vibes early Monday East Asia time based on reports that the next round of Trump tariffs due on April 2 could be more measured than initially expected.
Bitcoin (BTC), the largest digital asset by market value, traded at around $86,500, up 2.7% on a 24-hour basis, with Solana’s SOL token trading nearly 6% higher at $138, according to CoinDesk data.
Payments-focused XRP was up 2.5% at $2.44, trading above its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) after two consecutive weeks of positive price action.
Futures tied to the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq rose over 05% on the day, while Wall Street’s fear gauge, the VIX index, slipped 2.5% to 18.88 points. Markets in China reversed early losses.
The sentiment improved as media reports over the weekend said President Donald Trump’s planned “reciprocal tariffs” expected April 2 could be more focused than the barrage occasionally threatened.
Some countries will be exempt, and existing levies on steel and other metals may not be cumulative, Bloomberg’s report said.
Trump’s tariffs roiled the market sentiment in February, sending both stocks and the crypto market lower.
BTC fell nearly 17.6%, hitting lows under $80K. Last week, the Federal Reserve revised its inflation forecasts higher while downgrading growth figures likely due to Trump’s aggressive trade policies.
The other key factors to watch out for in the coming days are Friday’s PCE reading, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, and the appearance of the SEC nominee Paul Atkins and Comptroller of the Currency nominee Jonathan Gould before the Senate Banking Committee on March 27.