Bitcoin Tops $103K After Trump’s $2,000 Tariff Checks Plan
Former President Donald Trump announced a plan to distribute $2,000 checks to roughly 150 million Americans funded by tariff revenue. Bitcoin surged 1.75% to $103,000 and Ethereum gained 3.32% to $3,487 on the news. However, the Supreme Court appears poised to block the proposal, with prediction markets cutting Trump’s chances of a favourable ruling from nearly 50% to 30%.
So far in 2025, the U.S. has collected $214.9 billion in tariffs but needs about $300 billion to cover the payouts. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted the “dividend” might come through existing tax cuts rather than new checks. Despite legal uncertainty, traders are betting on fiat stimulus driving crypto higher, echoing the COVID-era rally.
Key analysts warn that actual liquidity injection remains doubtful, but any ruling or alternative tariff moves could trigger further volatility. Market participants should monitor Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision and prepare for rapid price swings. Bitcoin’s rally underscores how anticipated stimulus continues to influence crypto trading.
Bullish
The announcement of $2,000 tariff checks and related tax measures has injected optimism into crypto markets. Traders typically react positively to potential liquidity injections, as seen with U.S. COVID-19 stimulus checks that propelled Bitcoin from $7,000 to over $60,000 in 2020. Despite the Supreme Court challenge, expectation of fiscal stimulus remains high. Prediction markets still assign a significant probability to alternative tariff actions if the plan is blocked, suggesting further volatility—and opportunity—in the near term. In the short term, crypto traders may capitalize on spike-driven momentum. Over the long term, any actual distribution or tax relief tied to tariffs would expand money supply, likely supporting higher price floors. Past events demonstrate that anticipation of government stimulus is often enough to drive bullish sentiment, even amid legal uncertainty.