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Trump raised the global tariff to 15% — the crypto market did not react
Donald Trump increased the global tariff from 10% to 15%, yet the cryptocurrency market showed almost no reaction — Bitcoin held near the $68,000 level, and Ethereum also showed no notable movement.
On February 21, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the immediate increase of the base global tariff introduced the day before. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote that he was raising the tariff to a “fully permissible and legally vetted” level of 15%, arguing that many countries had been “ripping off” the United States for decades without consequences.
The day before, Trump had announced a 10% base tariff imposed on top of existing duties — after the Supreme Court of the United States limited his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). To justify the new measures, the president invoked alternative legal mechanisms — the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and the Trade Act of 1974.
Legal framework and limits of tariff authority
Attorney Adam Cochran, known for his pro-crypto stance, noted on X that the law being applied significantly restricts Trump’s options: tariffs may only be imposed on countries with which the U.S. has a trade deficit, for no more than 150 days, and within a fixed percentage cap. In other words, this is not an indefinite trade policy tool, but a temporary measure with clear boundaries.
Markets held steady
Previous rounds of tariff announcements triggered sharp sell-offs in both stock and crypto markets. This time, however, the picture was different: Bitcoin and Ethereum essentially ignored the news.
AI opinion
An analysis of market behavioral patterns suggests something more interesting than simply “the crypto market held up.” In 2025, investors have already gone through several cycles: Trump imposes tariffs — the market drops — tariffs are partially rolled back or softened — the market recovers. It appears the market no longer reacts to the mere announcement of tariffs, but instead waits for the next act of the familiar play. This is not resilience — it is a learned reflex to a policy that has repeatedly proven to be temporary.
