Crypto Weathering Storms: Gorky’s Tariff and Tech Tale

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Crypto markets, battered by a tempest of tariffs and legal gavels, still pulse with life, according to Fundstrat’s Tom Lee-a man who’s seen storms before and knows how to dance in the rain.

Speaking to CNBC’s The Exchange, Lee dismissed the recent 50% Bitcoin plunge not as a funeral for crypto, but as a “crypto squall”-a squall being the kind of storm that makes sailors mutter curses but never abandon ship. He blamed it on macroeconomic hurricanes, not blockchain’s fundamental flaws, which, let’s be honest, are about as shaky as a house built on marshmallows.

Tom Lee: Crypto Faces a “Squall,” Not a Winter, as Tariff Turbulence Hits Markets

The turbulence began when the US Supreme Court, in a move that would make Shakespeare weep, struck down most of Trump’s emergency tariffs. The ruling sent markets into a tizzy of relief, like a group of toddlers realizing their nap time was canceled.

“Investors, dear friends, found solace in the shadow of uncertainty, as if the heavens had gifted them a respite,” Lee mused, “but alas, the clouds gather again.”

Technology and crypto sectors, spared from the tariff onslaught, now bask in the rare glow of sunlight. Yet, as Trump, the old maestro of unpredictability, whipped out his tariff baton and conducted a new symphony of chaos, the market’s fragile peace shattered like a teacup dropped by a clumsy toddler.

Silver and gold, those ancient guardians of wealth, donned their capes and soared-gold hitting $5,160 an ounce, silver inching toward $88-while Bitcoin flapped its digital wings in the storm, tumbling below $65,000. The crypto market, meanwhile, lost $100 billion in 24 hours faster than a politician loses an election.

Yet Lee, with the optimism of a man who’s survived both bear markets and his mother-in-law, insists the “crypto winter” narrative is as misleading as a weather report in a desert. He points to Ethereum’s transaction surge, tokenization’s rise, and Wall Street’s newfound interest as proof that crypto’s engine still hums.

“Crypto suffers because gold, that glimmering glutton, hoards the spotlight,” Lee quipped. “Gold’s the party animal; crypto’s the quiet one with the better résumé.”

Bitcoin’s 50% Drawdown Is a “Squall,” Not a Crash, Says Tom Lee

Lee noted that Bitcoin’s seven historical 50% drops often preceded bear markets. But this time, he argues, the descent is slower-a psychological grind, not a euphoric freefall. Imagine a snail racing a cheetah; the snail wins by sheer endurance.

  • It is a slower
  • Psychologically taxing grind rather than a euphoric collapse.

“We’re living the bear market blues,” Lee sighed, “where patience is the only virtue left. The market isn’t crying; it’s just… sighing loudly.”

Monetary policy, that elusive puppet master, might yet save the day. If tariffs curb inflation and the labor market softens, the Federal Reserve could cut rates, sprinkling fairy dust on risk assets. Lee suggests this mix of chaos and adoption trends means crypto won’t drown in its own tears.

While gold and equities hog the risk-off spotlight, crypto’s infrastructure and institutional love might yet provide a life raft. After all, a network can’t be killed by a headline-it can only be ignored until the next hype cycle.

“This isn’t a collapse; it’s a squall,” Lee declared, “and squalls, like teenage tantrums, pass eventually. For those patient enough to ride the waves, crypto remains afloat.”

As markets digest legal rulings and tariff escalations, the coming months will test whether crypto can stabilize or if it’ll join the ranks of forgotten fads. But Lee’s message is clear: the old rules don’t apply anymore, and opportunity thrives in the eye of the storm.

After all, what’s a market without a little drama? Even Gorky would nod in agreement.

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2026-02-23 13:56