Bitcoin rallies briefly, then slides as the Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era tariffs.

Crypto markets once again struggled to sustain upside momentum, with a brief rally quickly giving way to renewed selling pressure.

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6–3 on Friday to invalidate President Donald Trump’s tariff program, concluding that the administration had overstepped its statutory authority.

In its opinion, the court noted that no previous president had used the statute in question to impose tariffs of such scale and breadth. The absence of historical precedent, combined with the sweeping powers claimed by the executive branch, indicated the measures extended beyond the president’s lawful authority.

Bitcoin’s quick reversal

Bitcoin initially reacted to the headline with a roughly 2% surge, briefly climbing above $68,000. However, the advance proved short-lived. Within minutes, prices retreated to just below $67,000, reflecting the fragile sentiment that has defined recent crypto trading sessions.

The muted and fleeting response contrasted with a steadier performance in equities. The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.6% to a session high, suggesting traditional markets were more willing to hold gains.

Mixed macro signals

Earlier in the day, economic data added to the uncertain backdrop. The United States Department of Commerce reported that the U.S. economy grew at a 1.4% annualized pace in the fourth quarter of 2025. For the full year, growth slowed to 2.2%, marking the weakest annual expansion since 2020.

At the same time, core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation rose 3% year-over-year, above expectations of 2.9% and up from 2.8% previously — a sign that price pressures remain persistent.

Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth, described the data as sending conflicting signals. He said the combination of stronger-than-expected inflation and softer growth supports the Federal Reserve’s current cautious stance on monetary policy.

For crypto investors, the environment remains challenging. Between policy uncertainty, sticky inflation, and slowing growth, rallies continue to face swift resistance, with gains proving difficult to sustain.

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