CoinDesk 2025-04-27 14:00:00

Chart of the Week: Tariff Carnage Starting to Fulfill Bitcoin's 'Store of Value' Promise

April has been a month of extreme volatility and tumultuous times for traders. From conflicting headlines about President Donald Trump's tariffs against other nations to total confusion about which assets to seek shelter in, it has been one for the record books. Amid all the confusion, when traditional "haven assets" failed to act as safe places to park money, one bright spot emerged that might have surprised some market participants: bitcoin. "Historically, cash (the US dollar), bonds (US Treasuries), the Swiss Franc, and gold have fulfilled that role [safe haven], with bitcoin edging in on some of that territory," said NYDIG Research in a note. NYDIG's data showed that while gold and Swiss Franc had been consistent safe-haven winners, since 'Liberation Day'—when President Trump announced sweeping tariff hikes on April 2, kicking off extreme volatility in the market—bitcoin has been added to the list. "Bitcoin has acted less like a liquid levered version of levered US equity beta and more like the non-sovereign issued store of value that it is," NYDIG wrote. Zooming out, it seems that as the "sell America" trade gains momentum, investors are taking notice of bitcoin and the original promise of the biggest cryptocurrency. "Though the connection is still tentative, bitcoin appears to be fulfilling its original promise as a non-sovereign store of value, designed to thrive in times like these," NYDIG added. Read more: Gold and Bonds' Safe Haven Allure May be Fading With Bitcoin Emergence