Tariffs Hurt Crypto and Global Markets

CRYPTO
Tariffs Hurt Crypto and Global Markets

The U.S. dollar surged, oil prices spiked, and global equity markets tumbled after President Donald Trump followed through on his tariff threats against Canada, Mexico, and China. Treasury yields climbed, while stock futures and Asian markets reacted negatively.

The Canadian dollar hit its weakest level since 2003, while the euro and Mexican peso also declined. Investors are flocking to safe-haven assets, fearing the tariffs’ impact on inflation, geopolitics, and economic growth. Markets had initially rallied, expecting a trade resolution, but Trump’s move intensifies uncertainty.

Deutsche Bank’s George Saravelos warned that this trade shock could have a greater economic impact on Canada and Mexico than Brexit had on the UK. The rising dollar reflects expectations that tariffs will drive inflation and keep U.S. interest rates high.

Sectors reliant on global trade, including automakers like GM, Stellantis, Tesla, and Rivian, saw stock declines. Mentions of “tariffs” surged on earnings calls, signaling widespread corporate concern.

In response, Canada, Mexico, and China announced retaliatory tariffs. Oil prices soared as North American supply chain disruptions threaten higher gasoline costs for Americans.

The tariffs are a disaster, not just for global trade but also for crypto markets. Economic instability drives investors toward safe-haven assets like the dollar, reducing liquidity in Bitcoin and altcoins. Higher inflation, market uncertainty, and reduced capital flows make it harder for crypto to thrive. Regulatory pressure could worsen, slowing adoption and investment.

TECH
Sam Altman Admits OpenAI’s Transparency Issue

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted that his company is “on the wrong side of history” when it comes to transparency about its AI technology. During a Reddit AMA, Altman responded to questions about OpenAI’s research secrecy, saying he supports more open-source development but that it’s not the company’s highest priority.

Chinese AI competitor DeepSeek has gained attention for its low-cost, high-performance chatbot, R1, and its commitment to open-source AI, contrasting with OpenAI’s and Google’s closed models. Open-source AI allows developers to access the underlying code, a practice at odds with corporate revenue and intellectual property protection.

Companies like Meta, DeepSeek, and Mistral emphasize open access to their AI models, creating pressure on OpenAI to adapt. When asked about DeepSeek’s influence, Altman acknowledged it as a strong model and stated that while OpenAI will build better models, its technological lead will narrow in the coming years.

FINANCE
Taleb Warns of Bigger Market Crash

Nassim Taleb, author of The Black Swan, warned that markets should prepare for an even worse shock following Nvidia’s historic stock collapse, triggered by fears over DeepSeek’s low-cost AI advancements. Nvidia’s 17% drop erased $589 billion in market cap, marking the largest single-day loss for a U.S. company and dragging the Nasdaq down over 3%.

Taleb sees this as just the beginning of an economic adjustment, warning that markets have become too fragile and over-reliant on tech giants like Nvidia. He compared the current AI race to past tech shifts, where first movers often lost out, citing Google’s dominance over Alta Vista.

When asked if another crash was likely, he cautioned that a drop “two or three times bigger” could happen. Taleb has long argued that today’s market structure is more fragile than at any point in 20-30 years, with overvalued tech stocks fueling economic instability.

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.