Black Monday returned on April 7, 2025, bringing both crypto and stock markets to their knees. The sharp downturn followed President Trump’s tariff blitz, launched on Liberation Day (April 2), sparking global panic.
As the U.S. showed no signs of backing down, markets reacted violently. Experts are now warning of a possible global recession.
What Happened on April 7?
The day started rough and ended worse—Bitcoin fell 7.7% in 24 hours, while Ethereum, Solana, and XRP lost around 20%. Even BNB dropped by nearly 9%. Within a single day, over $600 million in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated.
Traditional markets weren’t spared either:
- Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index crashed 13% — the worst since 1997.
- Japan’s Nikkei dropped 7.9%.
- South Africa’s market lost 9% after steep U.S. tariffs.
- Australia’s market fell 4.2%, its worst since 2020.
- European indexes opened down 5–9% but closed with a 4.7% loss.
In contrast, U.S. markets showed a little resilience. After early dips of about 3%, they rebounded slightly. Rumors of a 90-day tariff pause sparked hope—but were quickly dismissed by the White House. The Nasdaq experienced its most volatile day since 2008, eventually closing with under a 1% loss.
Was This the Worst Day in Crypto History?
Despite the headlines, this wasn’t Bitcoin’s worst crash.
That title still belongs to March 12, 2020—Black Thursday, when BTC dropped over 50% in one day after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Back then, panic-selling hit all markets as traders rushed for liquidity.
But Bitcoin rebounded fast. Just 24 hours later, it regained half its losses and fully recovered by late April. Stimulus checks played a big role, with nearly 10% of Americans investing their relief money in crypto, according to a Harris Poll.
There were other major crashes too:
- April 2013: Mt. Gox suspended trading. BTC dropped from $100 to $55, but bounced back above $130 by month-end.
- November 2022: FTX collapsed. BTC fell 15% in one day—from $18.5K to $15.7K—but whales like Tim Draper and Michael Saylor helped fuel the recovery through major buys.
Will Crypto Recover Again?
According to Michael van de Poppe of MN Consultancy, the April 7 crash marked the peak of uncertainty. He believes that once large investors adapt to the new conditions, markets will rebound. He predicts the tariffs could remain in place for 6–12 months.
However, tensions are still high. Countries continue to exchange threats, and the uncertainty may linger longer than expected.
Still, history suggests that Bitcoin thrives in crisis. If past patterns hold true, recovery might just be a matter of time.
