Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a five-year plan to simplify Ethereum’s base layer. Titled “Simplifying the L1,” the proposal aims to reduce complexity, lower development costs, and improve security. Inspired by Bitcoin’s clean and minimal design, Buterin suggests setting a cap on the number of code lines in Ethereum’s core protocol. This would help Ethereum become more resilient and easier to maintain over time, ensuring the network stays strong and efficient for the long run.
On April 6, 2025, veteran US President Donald Trump fueled the economic competition between the globe’s two greatest economies by imposing a blanket 50% tariff on all imports from China.
Dubbed as “Liberation Day,“ the action was designed to bring new life to American manufacturing, but instead set off a financial chain reaction that spilled well outside of conventional markets right into the center of crypto.
Global Market reaction on Tariffs
The initial response was pandemonium in all financial markets worldwide. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index dropped more than 3%, and the Shanghai Composite plummeted by 4.7% an indication of serious investor nervousness in China. European markets were not immune either: Germany’s DAX and the UK’s FTSE 100 fell under the weight of dented export expectations.
On the other side of the Atlantic, American indices plummeted. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 600 points, while the NASDAQ dipped close to 2.5%. The hardest hit were semiconductor and electronics firms depending heavily on Chinese production. Fear drove investors into havens, driving gold to a 12-month high and sending U.S. Treasury yields down.
Crypto Market Reacted
The crypto space, which many at one time praised as a hedge against macro dislocation, wasn’t immune. Bitcoin (BTC) dropped close to 9% in the first 48 hours after the news. Ethereum (ETH) followed suit, dropping more than 8%. Risk sentiment had well and truly turned, and the digital asset market, inextricably linked to global investor sentiment, was subjected to sharp liquidation.
Asia-specific tokens such as NEO (baptismally referred to as the “Chinese Ethereum”) and VeChain (VET), which is associated with larger Chinese logistics and supply chain companies, experienced gruesome declines falling 12% and 15% respectively. Even US-preferred instruments were not exempt: Solana (SOL) fell by 10%, most of its drop coming courtesy of its extreme vulnerability to DeFi and institutionality trading.
While it was Layer-1 blockchains that bore the bulk of the blow, stablecoins were not spared either. Tether (USDT) redemption volumes spiked, particularly on Asian exchanges such as Binance and OKX, indicative of a flight to cash. Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) such as Uniswap and PancakeSwap, on the other hand, experienced major volume declines, indicating that retail investors were taking liquidity out of the market instead of trading the dip.
So why did stocks and crypto sell off in sync?
For one, crypto remains a speculative asset class. During periods of uncertainty, speculative assets are the first to be dumped. Second, big institutionals now control a significant proportion of crypto volume. These institutions play macro strategies—when fear increases, their capital reverses and moves to safer bets such as cash, gold, or short-term government bonds.
Worsening the situation further were early rumors of capital controls in Hong Kong and Singapore two key crypto hubs. Speculation that regulators might restrict crypto transactions to control capital flight led to further panic, especially among investors based in Asia.
As Bitcoin struggled, gold shone again. The Gold Shares (GLD) ETF recorded its largest one-day inflow in half a year. U.S. manufacturing ETFs experienced fleeting optimism, but most high-growth technology stocks particularly chipmakers such as Nvidia and TSMC got hammered.
In the cryptocurrency universe, those with lesser geographic and trade exposure performed better. Chainlink (LINK), which is decentralized in its oracle infrastructure, lost less than most, and some investors predicted that utility-based tokens would provide more stability in macro-driven routs.
Tariffs drama continuous
The tariff drama is more than politics it’s a stress test of the old and new economy. It demonstrated to us that crypto isn’t this digital island nation that is in some way proof against real world events. Whenever systemic risk beckons, any asset be it fiat, gold, or crypto adapts.
It also reshaped the narrative around Bitcoin’s “digital gold” thesis. While it has outperformed in some local crises (like inflation in Argentina or sanctions on Russia), in a globally synchronized panic, Bitcoin failed to serve as a safe haven. That doesn’t diminish its long-term value proposition, but it’s a reminder: we’re not there yet.
While the world grapples with this latest kick in the teeth of the U.S.–China dynamic, investors and crypto fans will have to reset expectations. Volatility is the new normal, yet in that chop is opportunity.
Builders will redouble efforts on decentralization. Regulators will catch up on how essential good crypto standards are. And investors if smart will learn to hedge risk, control emotions, and diversify better.
After all, Bitcoin was the product of a crisis. Perhaps this one will be the crucible out of which fresh innovation emerges once more.
The post Tariff Turmoil: How Trade Wars Are Shaking Global and Crypto Markets appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
On April 6, 2025, veteran US President Donald Trump fueled the economic competition between the globe’s two greatest economies by imposing a blanket 50% tariff on all imports from China. Dubbed as “Liberation Day,“ the action was designed to bring new life to American manufacturing, but instead set off a financial chain reaction that spilled …
While most crypto CEOs are busy navigating market volatility, Brian Armstrong is playing a far bigger game – taking on human aging and Washington regulations at the same time. Not exactly your typical founder story, right?
One moment he’s rallying for stablecoin legislation on Capitol Hill, the next he’s funding research to literally reverse the aging process.
Here’s the latest on Armstrong, for all Coinbase enthusiasts out there!
NewLimit Raises $130M to Rewire Human Longevity
Armstrong’s biotech venture NewLimit, co-founded with former GV partner Blake Byers and stem cell scientist Jacob Kimmel, just closed a $130 million Series B round. The startup, now valued at $810 million, is developing therapies that aim to restore youthful function to aging cells through epigenetic reprogramming.
Early results are promising. The team has identified three prototype medicines targeting liver cells – improving their fat and alcohol processing capabilities in lab tests.
While human trials are still years away, NewLimit is expanding into immune system research, with Armstrong citing the urgency of fighting what he calls the “largest source of human tragedy” – aging.
The round was led by Kleiner Perkins and backed by a powerful lineup of investors including Founders Fund, Elad Gil, Patrick Collison, and Garry Tan.
Say No to Aging: Tech Titans Are All In!
Armstrong isn’t alone in this mission. He joins the ranks of tech elites like Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, and Vitalik Buterin – all pouring hundreds of millions into anti-aging research. But Armstrong’s approach is distinctive: part-scientist, part-operator, and always ten steps ahead.
Fighting for Stablecoin Regulations
The Coinbase CEO hasn’t loosened his grip on crypto advocacy. Just yesterday on X, he called on the U.S. Senate to move forward on the GENIUS Act – a stablecoin regulation bill that could finally bring clear rules to the space.
Congress has a real opportunity this week to advance stablecoin and market structure legislation. We strongly support the Senate starting debate on the GENIUS Act — and we need 60 votes to get there. We also welcome House efforts to build on FIT21’s momentum. Both chambers need…
The GENIUS Act would introduce a federal licensing regime, enforce reserve requirements for issuers, and create a dual regulatory model – splitting oversight between federal and state levels depending on issuer size.
The push comes just as the Treasury predicts stablecoins could surge from $230B to $2T by 2028, presenting both an opportunity and a risk to traditional banking systems.
Here’s how we see it: Brian Armstrong is betting on the future, and he’s doing it from all sides.
The post Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong Bags $130M for Longevity Startup NewLimit appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
While most crypto CEOs are busy navigating market volatility, Brian Armstrong is playing a far bigger game – taking on human aging and Washington regulations at the same time. Not exactly your typical founder story, right? One moment he’s rallying for stablecoin legislation on Capitol Hill, the next he’s funding research to literally reverse the …
The SHIB/DOGE ratio has formed a local bottom, suggesting that Shiba Inu price may be poised for significant gains if history rhymes. If a rally ensues, the next price targets for SHIB will be $0.0002 and $0.00003. Hitting these targets will pave the way for an all-time high price. However, how long would it take for Shiba Inu to achieve to reach $0.00002 and $0.00003? SHIB/DOGE Ratio Signals Bottom Formation The SHIB/DOGE ratio has plummeted significantly and recently reached 0.0000621. After falling to this two-month low, SHIB/DOGE quickly rebounded to 0.0000640 at press time. This bounce suggests that the ratio may have bottomed, giving Shiba Inu price room to recover. SHIB/DOGE: 1-day Chart As seen in the above chart, the first target for this ratio is 0.0000706. Once it reaches this price, SHIB will aim for the 2025 high of 0.0000815. However, for this bullish thesis to hold, Shiba Inu… Read More at Coingape.com
