Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed the $84,500 level on April 14, and the recovery appears partially fueled by the announcement of partial import tariff relief by US President Donald Trump. However, traders’ optimism faded on April 13 when it became apparent that the relaxation was temporary and that tariffs on the electronics supply chain could be revisited.
Uncertainty surrounding the ongoing trade tensions between the US and China impacted Bitcoin markets, causing traders to lose some of their regained confidence. This explains why Bitcoin’s price failed to break above $86,000 and why BTC derivatives showed limited short-term potential, potentially setting the tone for the next few days.
Bitcoin 2-month futures annualized premium. Source: Laevitas.ch
The premium on Bitcoin monthly futures contracts peaked at 6.5% on April 11 but has since dropped to 5%, which is near a neutral to bearish threshold. Sellers typically require a 5% to 10% annualized premium for longer settlement periods, so anything below this range indicates reduced interest from leveraged buyers.
Bitcoin sentiment dims as stock market ties dent bullish momentum
Traders’ brief excitement can be linked to President Trump’s April 13 announcement that tariffs on imported semiconductors would be reviewed during the week. This suggests that exemptions for smartphones and computers are not final, according to Yahoo Finance. Trump reportedly said: “We want to make our chips and semiconductors and other things in our country.”
Bitcoin traders experienced emotional swings during this period of fluctuating expectations. The performance of broader markets, particularly large technology companies reliant on global trade, appears to have influenced Bitcoin sentiment. The strong intraday correlation between Bitcoin and stock markets has dampened bullish enthusiasm, leaving open questions about whether this effect is limited to BTC futures.
S&P 500 futures (left) vs. Bitcoin/USD (right). Source: TradingView / Cointelegraph
To determine whether Bitcoin traders’ sentiment is merely mirroring trends in the S&P 500, it is helpful to examine the BTC options markets….
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