Back to Blog
marketbitcoinliquidationtariffsvolatility
$870M Liquidated in Hours: Trump Tariffs Rock Crypto Markets
Bitcoin crashed below $93,000 as Trump's new tariff threats triggered a massive $870M liquidation cascade. Here's what happened and how to protect yourself.
Miguel Treviño•
TL;DR:
- The Market Shock: Bitcoin dropped below $93,000 following US tariff threats against Europe, triggering $870 million in leveraged liquidations.
- The Cascade: Rapid price drops caused a "liquidation cascade," where forced selling of 10x-20x leveraged positions accelerated the market crash.
- The Institutional Response: Despite the volatility, institutional investors (BlackRock, Fidelity) saw recording-breaking weekly inflows, "buying the dip" while retail was liquidated.
- The Protection: Zelf ensures non-custodial key access and biometric security, protecting your assets from the typical panic and exchange outages that occur during market chaos.
The crypto market just experienced one of its most brutal days of 2026.
In a matter of hours, over $870 million in leveraged positions were liquidated as Bitcoin crashed below $93,000. The culprit? Fresh tariff threats from President Trump targeting Europe.
What Happened
On January 20, 2026, Trump announced 10% tariffs on eight European countries, set to begin February 1 and escalate to 25% by June. The announcement sent shockwaves through global markets, triggering a classic "risk-off" reaction.
The damage:
- Bitcoin: Dropped 3.6% from $95,450 to below $93,000
- Ethereum: Declined over 11% in six days, falling to ~$3,000
- Solana: Crashed 14% to approximately $127
- Liquidations: $870M wiped out, predominantly long positions
The Leverage Problem
This wasn't just a price correction. It was a leverage liquidation cascade.
When traders use borrowed money to bet on price movements, they're at the mercy of sudden volatility. A 3.6% drop in Bitcoin becomes catastrophic when you're leveraged 10x, 20x, or more.
The result? Forced selling that accelerates the decline, creating a vicious cycle that wipes out portfolios in minutes.
The Silver Lining
Despite the bloodbath, institutional money kept flowing in:
- $2.17 billion in weekly ETP inflows (strongest week of 2026)
- $1.55 billion into Bitcoin products alone
- Total AUM surpassed $193 billion for the first time since November
BlackRock led with $1.3 billion in inflows, followed by Grayscale and Fidelity.
The message? Smart money is buying the dip. Retail traders are getting liquidated.
Why This Matters
Events like these expose a fundamental truth about crypto: volatility is the price of admission.
If you're using leverage without understanding the risks, you're not investing—you're gambling. And the house always wins eventually.
How Zelf Protects You
While we can't protect you from market volatility (that's your risk to manage), Zelf protects what matters most: your keys.
In times of market chaos:
- Panic leads to mistakes: People rush to move funds and fall for phishing attacks
- Exchanges go down: Centralized platforms often crash during high volume
- Scammers capitalize: Fake "recovery" services target desperate traders
Zelf ensures:
- Your keys are always accessible via ZK Face Proof—no exchange downtime
- Phishing-resistant authentication that doesn't rely on passwords
- Non-custodial security so your assets are yours, even when exchanges fail
The Bottom Line
Markets will always be volatile. That's not something you can control.
What you CAN control:
- Your leverage exposure (hint: less is more)
- Your key security (self-custody > centralized exchange)
- Your emotional discipline (don't panic sell at the bottom)
The $870M in liquidations came from traders who bet more than they could afford to lose. Don't be one of them.
