Crypto Market Rallies as Trump Delays Tariffs; Bitcoin Climbs 6% to $81,000

Digital assets and equity markets surged Wednesday after former President Donald Trump unveiled a temporary pause on U.S. tariffs—excluding China—from his administration’s aggressive trade push.

In a Truth Social post, Trump confirmed a 90-day delay on tariff enforcement for all countries that have not retaliated against U.S. measures. During this window, a reduced 10% tariff will apply. In contrast, the tariff rate on Chinese imports has been hiked to a staggering 125%, effective immediately.

The news ignited a rally in crypto markets. Bitcoin (BTC), which had remained flat around $77,000 for much of the session, soared past $81,000 shortly after the announcement—posting a 5.5% intraday gain.

Altcoins outperformed, with broad-based strength across major names. XRP, SOL, AVAX, LINK, HBAR, and SUI each climbed more than 10% on the day, according to the CoinDesk 20 Index. Ethereum (ETH) advanced 8% to reach $1,600.

Equities also rebounded sharply. The Nasdaq Composite rose 7%, while the S&P 500 jumped 8.8%, reversing recent losses fueled by trade war fears and surging bond yields.

The sharp market reaction underscores investor sensitivity to trade developments—and Trump’s continued ability to move markets. Earlier in the day, Trump had posted, “It’s a great time to buy,” hinting at the easing move before markets caught on.