Bitcoin rises against the trend by 1%, as conflicts between Trump and Powell escalate, triggering risk aversion sentiment

Monday afternoon, January 12, 2026 (Hong Kong time), as tensions between U.S. President Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell continue to escalate, global financial market sentiment noticeably weakens. U.S. stock index futures and the dollar decline in tandem, while Bitcoin defies the trend and rises about 1%, once again being viewed by the market as a potential safe-haven asset. Data shows that Bitcoin briefly surged to approximately $92,000, still trading within the $89,000 to $95,000 range established last week. Meanwhile, Nasdaq index futures fell about 0.8%, S&P 500 futures declined 0.5%, and the dollar index retreated from the previous high of 99.26 to around 99.00. Gold prices continued to hit record highs, reaching as much as $4,600 per ounce, with traditional safe-haven assets and cryptocurrencies strengthening simultaneously. Notably, Bitcoin's recent movement has decoupled significantly from tech stocks. Usually, Bitcoin shows strong correlation with the Nasdaq index, but in the current context, the market is more inclined to view it as a hedge against political and monetary policy uncertainties. This shift reflects that some funds are seeking "non-sovereign, anti-establishment" stores of value. The trigger for the tension came from recent weekend statements. Powell revealed that the Trump administration threatened to file criminal charges related to the renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters. Powell believes these accusations are politically motivated, aimed at pressuring the Fed to further cut interest rates. Since taking office in 2025, Trump has publicly criticized the Fed's monetary policy multiple times, accusing Powell of not being proactive enough in cutting rates, and has repeatedly called for the benchmark rate to be lowered to 1% or even lower. Although the Fed has previously lowered rates to 3.5%, the market generally expects that the policy rate will remain stable for at least the coming months. Market forecasts indicate that investors do not believe Powell will resign early before his term ends, but ongoing attacks on the central bank's independence have posed potential risks to market confidence and the stability of the dollar. Historically, cases where political interference caused currency crises are still seen as important warnings. Against this backdrop, Bitcoin's performance, the weakening dollar index, and the decline in U.S. stock futures are viewed as different reactions within the same macro narrative, adding more uncertainty to the financial markets in 2026. #我看好的中文Meme币