Why is the crypto market up today?

The cryptocurrency market rebounded after a sell-off that drove its overall valuation to the lowest since November 2024.

As of March 6, the global crypto market capitalization had reached $3.10 trillion, rising 5% over the last 24 hours. Top coins, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) led the intraday rally with 5.6% daily gains each.

Let’s look at the top catalysts driving the crypto market rebound today.

Bitcoin leads rebound amid Trump’s auto tariffs delay

Today’s crypto market’s recovery aligns closely with similar rebounds in the US stock market, as Donald Trump’s tariff delay eased investor worries, with Bitcoin leading the market higher.

What to know:

• On March 5, US President Donald Trump temporarily paused the proposed 25% tariffs on auto imports from Canada and Mexico. 

• Initially confirmed earlier this week, these tariffs had sparked fears of a trade war, rattling global financial markets and dragging down risk assets like cryptocurrencies.

• Bitcoin, for instance, dipped below $90,000 on March 3 amid this uncertainty. 

• However, following negotiations with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump agreed to a 30-day delay, easing tensions. 

• This reprieve has spurred a risk-on sentiment, with Bitcoin climbing back above $92,000 and Ether edging above $2,300. 

• Analysts suggest that averting immediate trade disruptions has reduced macroeconomic pressure, allowing crypto—a sector sensitive to such shifts—to recover and rally.

Risk-on sentiment boosts crypto market

The ongoing crypto rally mirrors the strength witnessed in US equities.

• The broad-market S&P 500 and the tech-focused Nasdaq also rose by 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively, during the late New York trading session on March 5. 

• Crypto-related stocks also climbed higher, with crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) rising by 4.5% and Strategy (MSTR) gaining nearly 12%.

• The US dollar index (DXY) is at its weakest level since early November and is down more than 5.5% lower from its Jan. 13 peak of 110.17. 

• Fed rate expectations are shifting back to pricing more rate cuts in 2025, with market participants betting on 52% chances of a 25 basis point rate cut in June.

“Looking at the trend, sentiment appears to be shifting towards more easing, possibly driven by economic data, inflation trends, and Fed commentary, market commentator Walter Bloomberg said in a March 5 post on X.

“The market initially priced in fewer cuts but has now surged higher—will the Fed follow through?”

Related: Does XRP, SOL or ADA belong in a US crypto reserve?

Crypto market technical rebound

From a technical perspective, today’s crypto market’s gains are part of a rebound that started at a support confluence comprising the psychological level at $2.80 trillion and the 200-day simple moving average (SMA).

The total market cap, currently at $2.95 trillion, seeks to break above the resistance zone between $3.1 trillion and $3.28 trillion, where both the 100-day and 50-day SMAs sit.

If this happens, it would signal a bullish breakout from the current downtrend phase, with bulls targeting all-time highs above $3.69 trillion. 

The daily relative strength index, or RSI, has jumped from oversold conditions at 25 on Feb. 20 to the current value of 47, suggesting the bullish momentum is building up.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.