The cryptocurrency market was shaken earlier this month after a sharp policy turn in Washington triggered widespread panic among traders.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of 100% tariffs on Chinese imports sent shockwaves through global markets, and crypto was no exception. Within hours, prices across the sector plunged more than 10%, while forced liquidations surged from an estimated $10 billion to nearly $20 billion as overleveraged positions cascaded out of control.
What followed was one of the most intense selloffs of the year – but not the kind of collapse that breaks the system. Despite the chaos, the market infrastructure held up. Platforms that once buckled under far smaller stress tests managed to stay online, processing massive order flows without major interruptions.
Bitcoin Holds Its Ground
According to TD Cowen analysts, the market’s reaction revealed both the dangers and the progress of today’s crypto ecosystem. Open interest was effectively halved, yet trading platforms continued to operate with minimal disruption. “The system absorbed the blow,” the report implied, highlighting that liquidity and technology have evolved dramatically since previous cycles.
Amid the turmoil, the two leading cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin and Ethereum – stood out for their resilience. While many small-cap tokens effectively vanished, Bitcoin’s dip proved relatively mild: it dropped 15% at its lowest point before rebounding to close the day down just 8%. Ethereum’s recovery mirrored that stability, cementing its role as a key anchor in an otherwise turbulent landscape.
Despite the liquidation storm, TD Cowen’s outlook remains strongly optimistic. The firm reiterated its projection that Bitcoin could reach $141,000 by December, supported by continued institutional inflows and a growing sense that the market’s structural integrity can now withstand extreme shocks without disintegrating.
Global Adoption Defies Volatility
Beyond the trading floors, the TD Cowen report emphasized how global adoption continues to expand, largely unfazed by short-term corrections. Japan, in particular, stands out as a striking example: the number of registered digital asset accounts has now exceeded 7.9 million, a fourfold increase that signals the deepening reach of cryptocurrency into mainstream finance.
For analysts, this combination of resilience and rapid adoption paints a compelling picture of where the market is heading. The $19 billion liquidation wave, while painful, also served as a stress test – one that the industry passed. Rather than undermining confidence, the crash demonstrated that crypto’s core infrastructure is stronger, faster, and more coordinated than ever before.
As TD Cowen summed it up, volatility may still define the crypto market, but its ability to endure massive selloffs without breaking marks a significant step toward maturity.
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