"Bitcoin Plunges to $82K as Trump's Tariffs Spark Crypto Sell-Off"

Cryptocurrency markets experienced a significant downturn on Thursday, with Bitcoin (BTC) plummeting to an intraday low of $82,000 and Ethereum (ETH) sliding by 7%. The sell-off was triggered by heightened macroeconomic uncertainty, as US President Donald Trump pushed forward with new tariffs on the European Union, escalating fears of a global trade war.

Bitcoin and Ethereum led the decline, with BTC falling nearly 4% to reach $85,107 at press time, after briefly touching an $82K low. Liquidations in BTC alone accounted for $460.86 million, highlighting the market's vulnerability. Meanwhile, Ethereum saw a sharper decline, shedding 7% to trade at $2,308, with its market dominance slipping by 10%.

Other cryptocurrencies also faced losses, with XRP falling over 5% to $2.18, Solana (SOL) down 4% to $137, and Dogecoin (DOGE) dropping 2.5% to $0.2045. The overall cryptocurrency market cap declined by 5% to $2.79 trillion, while trading volume dropped 19% to $153.54 billion, signaling a risk-off sentiment among traders.

Asian share markets were mixed on Thursday, with Australia's ASX 200 gaining, Japan's Nikkei 225 hovering around the flatline, and South Korea's Kospi extending losses. Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 gained 0.26%, ending a four-day losing streak to close at 5,956.06. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 188.04 points, or 0.43%, closing at 43,433.12, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.26% to end at 19,075.26, supported by gains in tech stocks.

Traders remain on edge as Trump's tariff strategy fuels economic volatility. With global markets reacting to the escalating trade tensions, cryptocurrency whales have intensified selling pressure, adding to liquidity constraints. The coming days will be crucial as investors assess the impact of