**In brief**
- **Bitcoin** dropped below **$95,000** after quarterly gross domestic product fell for the first time since **2022**.
- **Ethereum** and **Solana** both fell roughly **3%**.
- U.S. President **Donald Trump's** trade tariffs have unsettled markets.

The price of **Bitcoin** fell below **$95,000** on Wednesday after the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the economy contracted at an annualized rate of **0.3%** in the first quarter, raising **recession** concerns tied to President **Donald Trump’s tariffs**.

Economists had expected the U.S. economy to grow at an annualized rate of **0.3%** in the three months through March; however, Wednesday’s reading marked the first quarterly decline in economic growth since the first quarter of **2022**, according to **Trading Economics**.

Bitcoin was recently trading around **$94,300**, immediately falling after the economic report, according to **CoinGecko**. Altcoins like **Ethereum** and **Solana** also took a hit, each dropping **3%** to **$1,760** and **$143**, respectively.

Major U.S. equity indexes opened in negative territory, with the **S&P 500** and tech-heavy **Nasdaq** both sinking over **2%**. Historically, Bitcoin has shown a strong correlation with stock market performance.

Bitcoin saw significant gains last year as the **Federal Reserve** implemented a series of rate cuts, lowering its benchmark rate to a target range of **4.25% to 4.50%**. However, in December, the Fed adopted a more cautious stance, indicating potential shifts in trade and immigration policy under Trump that could complicate its efforts to restore price stability.

Since Trump has focused on reshaping global trade, surveys such as the **University of Michigan’s consumer survey** have indicated a decline in sentiment among U.S. consumers. The latest economic growth data serves as hard evidence that Trump's tariffs are adversely affecting the economy's ability to expand.

Although the president recently announced a **90-day** pause on “reciprocal” tariffs, other levies are already in effect, including **25% tariffs** on steel and aluminum imports, a **10% baseline tariff** on imports from nearly every nation, sector-specific tariffs, and **145% tariffs** on Chinese goods.

U.S. Treasury Secretary **Scott Bessent** suggested that American retailers would not face significant disruptions from tariffs. However, warnings indicate that shipping volume at the port of Los Angeles is facing a drastic drop, as reported by **Reuters**.

Bessent stated, “We have some great retailers. I assume they pre-ordered. I think we’ll see some elasticities [...], and then we will see how quickly the Chinese want to de-escalate.”

*UPDATE (April 30, 2025, 9:36 a.m. ET): Updates prices.*
*UPDATE (April 30, 2025, 9:46 a.m. ET): Updates with equity index data.*
*Edited by James Rubin*

Economists fear Trump's tariffs will weigh on economic growth while adding to inflation.

Bitcoin Plummets Below $95,000 Amidst U.S. Economic Contraction - What You Need to Know

In a week when President **Donald Trump** aimed for headlines celebrating his achievements, he instead faced a stark reality of **economic losses**. The **U.S. economy** contracted by **0.3%** in the first quarter of **2025**, marking its first decline in three years. Meanwhile, **China's economy** surprised analysts by growing **5.4%**, showcasing unexpected resilience.

## Why It Matters

This report surfaced as Trump attempted to spotlight new corporate investments while celebrating his **100th day** in office. The government's announcement of a shrinking economy came as a blow to his narrative. With his approval ratings on the economy declining, Trump faces increasing challenges as **economic uncertainty** looms ahead of the **2026 midterms**.

![China Tariffs](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2636248/china-tariffs.jpg?w=1200&f=edfe1bab9e723a64b5204ba33fad43c8)
*Tourists seen at the Yantian International Container Terminal, April 12, 2025.*

## What To Know

The decline in the U.S. economy was largely driven by a **surge in imports** as companies rushed to stockpile goods ahead of anticipated tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminum. Trump blamed former President **Joe Biden** for the **stock market** dip following the GDP report, stating, "This is Biden's Stock Market, not Trump's."

The twin reports contradict the administration's **trade war** messaging, as Trump's tariffs have inadvertently weakened U.S. growth while allowing China's economy to flourish. According to **Joseph Foudy**, a professor at NYU, the U.S. economy is reacting negatively to the disruption caused by tariffs, while China is benefiting.

Chinese exports to the U.S. surged over **12%** in March, contributing to Beijing's impressive quarterly growth. Despite Trump's assertions that tariffs would compel China to negotiate, there has been little sign of progress. Instead, China is solidifying new trade relationships to reduce its dependence on the U.S., deepening ties with Europe and exploring new routes through **Southeast Asia**, the **Middle East**, and **Latin America**.

## How Long Can Trump Blame Biden?

New presidents often enjoy a grace period where economic issues are attributed to their predecessors. However, given that inflation and high prices were central to Trump's platform, he may find it increasingly difficult to deflect blame as the effects of the tariffs begin to hit consumers. Foudy notes that the impact of these policies will likely manifest in rising prices and product shortages by mid-year.

Markets typically are more resilient than consumers, but they are also reacting to the growing **Economic Policy Uncertainty Index**, which has surged to levels not seen since the pandemic's height. **Todd Belt**, director of the Graduate School of Political Management, emphasized that the current economic downturn is a direct result of the Trump administration's policies, which inherited a strong economy.

## What People Are Saying

**Trump** on Truth Social: "This is Biden's Stock Market, not Trump's... Tariffs will soon start kicking in... Our Country will boom."

**Peter Navarro**, Trump's chief trade adviser, insists on a **22% increase** in domestic investment, claiming that when accounting for imports, the economy is still growing.

**Representative Brendan Boyle** remarked on the GDP report, stating, "In just 100 days, he's taken a strong economy and driven it toward a recession."

The Trump administration has recently softened its stance on China amid fears of a recession and pressure to secure a trade deal.

As President Trump sought to celebrate 100 days in office, he got a week focused on economic losses—while a rival showed unexpected strength.

Economic Turmoil: Trump's Trade War Backfires as U.S. Economy Shrinks While China Thrives

## Key Takeaways:

- **Richard Byworth**, a partner at Syz Capital, suggests that **Michael Saylor’s Strategy** could significantly increase its Bitcoin purchases by acquiring **cash-rich companies** and converting their cash into Bitcoin.
- He emphasizes the need to **accelerate purchases** as the **Bitcoin supply on exchanges** continues to dwindle.
- Byworth argues that aggressively increasing Bitcoin holdings would enhance Strategy’s **mNAV**, ultimately benefiting shareholders.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy is encouraged to adopt a more aggressive approach to buying Bitcoin by acquiring companies to utilize their cash holdings for purchases, moving away from over-the-counter buys. According to **Richard Byworth**, Saylor’s strategy has been effective thus far, but there is room for improvement.

### Super Aggressive Buying

Byworth poses an interesting question regarding Bitcoin’s potential point of **illiquid supply**, where no Bitcoin remains on crypto exchanges or OTC desks. He suggests:

> “Should Saylor buy Bitcoin really carelessly? As in, not try and buy it through OTC desks…and actually just buy it with the intention of massively ramping the price.”

Byworth believes that in times of decreasing liquidity, **super aggressive buying** could push the price higher and serve the interests of shareholders. Currently, Strategy holds **553,555 BTC**, valued at approximately **$52.48 billion**.

According to **Fidelity Digital Assets**, there has been a noticeable drop in Bitcoin supply on exchanges due to purchases by public companies, which is expected to accelerate soon. Byworth asserts that firms like Strategy should not focus on the **Bitcoin price** during buying, but rather on their **mNAV**, which reflects the value of their held assets, thus being more beneficial for shareholders.

He also highlights the presence of many **zombie companies** in Japan that hold significant cash reserves. Byworth proposes that Strategy could adopt an aggressive approach by acquiring these companies and converting their cash directly into Bitcoin, similar to the strategy employed by Japanese investment firm **Metaplanet**.

On **April 21**, Metaplanet boosted its Bitcoin holdings to over **$400 million** following a recent **$28 million** purchase.

Byworth’s comments come as Bitcoin trades below the **$100,000** psychological threshold, currently priced at **$94,680**, which is a **13.22%** drop from its all-time high of **$109,000** reached in January. This decline has been linked to tariffs implemented by **US President Donald Trump**.

![Bitcoin Strategy](https://s3.tradingview.com/news/image/cointelegraph:16bff3db1094b-ee1e82d7a822f486719fb06565474f71-resized.jpeg)

*This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.*

Key takeaways:Michael Saylor’s Strategy should take a more aggressive approach to buying Bitcoin by acquiring companies to use their cash holdings to fund purchases and do away with over-the-counter buys, a crypto executive says.“Saylor’s strategy so far has been the right one,” Syz Capital partner…

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