Bitcoin slips below $91,000 as Solana, XRP and Cardano extend weekly losses.

Crypto markets steadied on Tuesday following Monday’s tariff-driven volatility, though sentiment remained cautious as altcoins continued to underperform bitcoin.

Bitcoin and major tokens nursed losses during Asian afternoon trading, with positioning still defensive after a macro-led pullback earlier in the week. Bitcoin slipped below $90,000 in early European hours, little changed on the day after Monday’s decline sparked by fresh tariff headlines and a broader risk-off shift toward safe-haven assets.

Ether hovered near $3,200, while Solana, XRP and Cardano were mixed on the session but continued to post sharp weekly losses, underscoring the heavier toll on altcoins since last week’s peak.

Macro risks remain a key overhang. Renewed tariff tensions between the U.S. and Europe — linked to comments by President Donald Trump on Greenland — have driven investors back toward traditional havens. Gold and silver extended gains, while cryptocurrencies lagged even as some equity markets held steady.

Farzam Ehsani, chief executive of exchange VALR, said the current weakness reflects crypto-specific fragility rather than a broad-based risk-off move.

“Capital is rotating into established safe havens, while crypto continues to trade as a high-beta risk asset,” Ehsani said, adding that bitcoin may struggle to sustain elevated levels without clearer signals on rate cuts or renewed institutional inflows.

Rising U.S. Treasury yields added to the pressure, as global bond markets sold off on fiscal and geopolitical concerns.

For now, traders appear content to remain defensive, waiting for a clearer catalyst to push markets out of their low-volatility range.