Trump's Tariff Policy Waswas, Crypto Investors Switched To Stablecoins

Illustration of stablecoins. (CoinMarketCap)

JAKARTA - Global uncertainty has increased again in line with the massive tariff policy announced by the President of the United States, Donald Trump against trading partner countries.

"The current macro situation forces investors to be more careful, especially against risky assets," said Wan Iqbal, Tokocrypto's Chief Marketing Officer in a statement quoted on Sunday, April 13.

Bitcoin even fell more than 25 percent from its highest price. And according to Iqbal, Investors tend to choose safer assets such as bitcoin and stablecoins, while staying away from riskier altcoins.

In the midst of this issue, Tokocrypto sees that crypto investors in Indonesia are seen starting to switch to more stable assets such as stablecoins, especially Tether (USDT).

According to data compiled from CoinMarketCap, USDT trading volume on Indonesia's three largest crypto exchanges has exceeded US$7 billion since early 2024.

Meanwhile, at Tokocrypto itself, the USDT/IDR trading pair accounted for more than 25 percent of the total daily volume in the last 24 hours.

"In addition to offering price stability, USDT is also used by investors as a hedging tool for rupiah volatility. This dominance also strengthens USDT's position as a gateway to enter various DeFi platforms or other crypto applications," explained Iqbal.

Seeing the current market conditions, Iqbal recommends several strategic approaches for investors. First, investors are advised to focus on major assets such as Bitcoin, use of the Dollar Cost Average (DCA) strategy, and avoid speculative altcoins.

"In addition, diversifying some portfolios to stablecoins such as USDT or USDC can be a protective measure against Rupiah's depreciation," he added.

For investors who still want to maintain returns, investors can explore staking products that can be an option to maintain cash flow during the volatility period.

However, it is important to continue to pay attention to aspects of liquidity and the risk of lockdown, so that this strategy remains in line with the short-term needs and investment goals of each.

"In a situation like now, it is important for investors to remain vigilant and take smart steps in managing their portfolio."