Yeliz Akmaca 
The crypto market did not react the way many expected after US President Donald Trump announced that global tariffs would increase to 15%. Under normal conditions, aggressive trade measures tend to trigger sharp sell-offs in risk assets. This time, that reaction never came. Bitcoin remained near the $68,000 level, and the broader price structure held intact.
The first response was not panic selling. It was hesitation.
This distinction matters. Because when macro risk rises but price does not break, it reveals something deeper about market positioning.
Initial Price Reaction After Tariff Announcement
The Trump administration moved forward with the tariff decision using an alternative legal framework after its previous emergency economic authority was limited by the Supreme Court of the United States. The new tariffs were implemented under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and the Trade Act of 1974. This structure places certain limitations on scope and duration.
The market understood that detail quickly. Bitcoin continued to trade within the $68,000 range following the announcement. There was no sharp downside break. At the same time, no aggressive upside expansion appeared either. Price compressed and held its equilibrium zone.
Sometimes, this kind of non-reaction reflects weakness. Other times, it suggests the market was already positioned defensively.
Recent price behavior shows that $68,000 has become a short-term balance level. The area has functioned as both support and stabilization over recent sessions.
The key observation is simple: macro pressure increased, but this level held.
In previous macro shocks, Bitcoin reacted much faster. That reflex is missing now. This opens two possibilities. Positioning may already be lighter. Or participants may be waiting for clearer signals before committing capital.
For now, direction remains unresolved. Ethereum reflected a similar structure. Price held near $1,977 without triggering a cascade of liquidations. This suggests excessive leverage may have already been reduced in recent weeks.
The broader altcoin market also remained relatively stable. The Total3 index, which tracks crypto market capitalization excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum, declined less than 1%. Total valuation held near $713 billion.
That restraint matters.
Because historically, altcoins showed much greater fragility during macro-driven risk events. This time, selling pressure remained limited. The market appears cautious, not broken.
Macro Risk Is Rising, But Panic Is Absent
Tariffs often trigger cascading macro effects. Inflation expectations shift. Currency strength adjusts. Liquidity assumptions change. Risk assets usually respond quickly.
But that pattern has not fully emerged here.
Derivatives data shows declining trading volume across several platforms. Open interest remains largely flat. Traders are not aggressively expanding exposure.
The market is watching. Not reacting.
This phase often precedes larger directional moves. Quiet periods rarely last forever.
Critical Level Holds, But Balance May Not Last
The $68,000 region continues to serve as a key technical zone. Its stability reflects a market that has not yet lost structural balance.
However, equilibrium zones rarely persist indefinitely. Price typically resolves in one direction or the other. Extended sideways compression tends to precede expansion.
Especially when macro uncertainty remains elevated.
Market Data Signals Ongoing Repositioning
At the time of writing, Bitcoin continues trading between $67,800 and $68,200. Volatility remained subdued during both Asian and European sessions. Funding rates across derivatives markets hovered near neutral.
This pattern reflects consolidation, not resolution. The next decisive move will likely define the medium-term trend.
Technical Structure Highlights Key Resistance at $72,000
After rebounding from $60,000, BTC attempted to reclaim the $72,000 level but failed to hold above it. Price retraced toward the $65,000 area. Despite the pullback, Bitcoin continues to hold its intermediate support zone.
However, repeated tests of support can weaken structural integrity over time.
The $72,000 level now stands as the key resistance barrier. A confirmed break and sustained hold above that region could reduce selling pressure significantly. Technical projections suggest that such a breakout may open a path toward the $86,700–$89,950 range.
Until then, broader trend uncertainty remains intact.
Market Holds Structural Support Despite Tariff Shock
The fact that Bitcoin remained near $68,000 following the tariff announcement signals underlying structural stability. Despite rising macroeconomic pressure, price has not entered disorderly decline.
Liquidity conditions and macroeconomic developments will likely determine the next directional phase.
For now, the market remains in transition. And these transition phases often prove decisive.
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