Crypto Beats Nasdaq Performance as BTC Serves as ‘U.S. Isolation Hedge’ in $5T Market Meltdown

As U.S. equity markets buckle under the weight of renewed trade tensions, bitcoin is once again proving its reputation as a macro hedge — and now, potentially, a geopolitical one.

Following President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of retaliatory tariffs, financial markets were rocked, with over $5.4 trillion in equity value erased in just two trading sessions. The S&P 500 fell to levels not seen in nearly a year, while the Nasdaq 100 officially entered bear market territory after an 11% slide.

In contrast, crypto markets weathered the storm with relative stability. Bitcoin (BTC) lost just 6% during the same period — modest compared to the broader market carnage. The CoinDesk 20 Index (CD20), which tracks the top crypto assets, slipped around 4.9%.

Data from TheTie shows the total crypto market cap hovering around $2.65 trillion. Over the last 24 hours, BTC edged down 0.3% to $82,619.77, while the CD20 index actually posted a slight 0.2% gain. Despite general weakness across crypto-related equities, some players finished in the green.

MARA Holdings (MARA), a major bitcoin miner, ticked up 0.6%, and Core Scientific (CORZ) climbed 0.4%. Meanwhile, MicroStrategy (MSTR) — the largest public holder of bitcoin with 528,185 BTC — soared 4% on the day, far outperforming the Nasdaq’s 5.8% plunge.

According to Geoffrey Kendrick of Standard Chartered, bitcoin’s role in modern portfolios is evolving. “Its ETF exposure and relative performance make BTC a compelling TradFi hedge,” Kendrick noted. But he went a step further, suggesting bitcoin may now be functioning as a “U.S. isolation hedge,” reflecting concerns over the country’s global economic positioning. He also pointed to performance data showing BTC outperforming all but one of the Magnificent 7 tech stocks during the recent drawdown — Microsoft being the lone exception.

Adding to the symbolism, the crypto world also marked Satoshi Nakamoto’s supposed birthday on April 5. Though likely fictional, the date aligns with a pivotal historical moment: President Roosevelt’s 1933 Executive Order 6102, which forced Americans to surrender gold holdings to the Federal Reserve — a decision that still echoes in crypto’s anti-centralized ethos.

In a week that shook traditional finance to its core, crypto’s resilience has been more than price-deep. It’s a statement — one that suggests digital assets may be stepping into a new era of strategic relevance.