
Two prominent voices in crypto investing--Arthur Hayes and Dan Tapiero--are framing the latest wave of U.S. tariffs as a symptom of deeper structural issues in the global financial system, arguing that Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) may stand to benefit from the resulting distortions.
The comments come amid heightened trade tensions following sweeping tariff announcements by the U.S., intended to counter foreign exchange manipulation, persistent trade deficits, and sluggish domestic growth.
But for Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, and Tapiero, founder of 10T Holdings and DTAP Capital, these are not isolated policy decisions--they reflect a system under pressure.
"I LOVE TARIFFS," Hayes wrote on X on Friday, sharing a chart showing the widening gap between the U.S. current account and financial account balances. "Global imbalances will be corrected, and the pain papered over with printed money, which is good for $BTC."
The chart he referenced shows the long-term divergence between the U.S. current account balance, which has plunged deeper into deficit since the early 2000s, and the financial account balance, which has grown substantially--fueled by inflows of foreign capital.
This pattern illustrates how the U.S. has increasingly relied on financing from abroad to fund its deficits, making the economy vulnerable to shifts in global capital flows.
Also Read: Anthony Pompliano Praises Trump’s Tariffs As Catalyst For Crypto Innovation
Tapiero echoed the sentiment, writing: "Tariffs represent battle ongoing in the old analog world⦠Bitcoin stands outside this world. Free of legacy burdens."
He framed tariffs as a reactionary tool, attempting to fix long-standing problems with outdated mechanisms: "In an attempt to solve old problems--excess government spending, FX manipulation, weak growth, geopolitics--so much manipulation and interference."
While mainstream financial markets have viewed tariffs through the lens of trade friction and inflationary risk, Hayes and Tapiero suggest the deeper takeaway is the fragility of a global economic system sustained by imbalances that cannot be resolved by conventional tools.
In their view, Bitcoin represents an exit from that paradigm.
The endorsement of Bitcoin as a hedge against systemic risk fits into a broader narrative gaining traction among macro investors: that digital assets, especially Bitcoin, may be best understood not just as speculative instruments, but as structural alternatives to a weakening fiat-based system.
As the U.S. trade and fiscal picture deteriorates, with the current account deficit nearing historic lows, some investors see BTC as a potential long-term beneficiary--particularly if rising tariffs lead to currency devaluations and renewed money printing to offset economic shocks.
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