Who Knew? Bitcoin Tanks on Trump’s Trade War

Trump recently had what can only be described as one of his classic outbursts, proclaiming he’d slap a whopping 100% tariff on Chinese goods. 

Wall Street instantly went into meltdown, and the cryptocurrency universe suffered what can only be called a “crypto disaster.” Bitcoin nosedived by 13% in just 24 hours, breaking through the $110,000 floor and wiping out a jaw-dropping $19 billion in positions. The carnage left countless investors licking their wounds—heard from every corner. 

But as Trump dialed back the rhetoric, Bitcoin bounced right back. Volatility is nothing new in these markets, but this time, something was off. Mere moments before Trump’s shock tariff announcement, two accounts began dumping massive short positions on Bitcoin—and even doubled down at the last second. After the crash, those mysterious traders walked away with $160 million (about HK$1.25 billion). 

The timing was scary-perfect, raising the obvious suspicion: Did they know what was coming? Naturally, eyes turned toward Trump’s family and inner circle—the usual suspects in any “insider trading” drama.

Trump drops a bombshell on China, Bitcoin crashes—somebody made a killing. Insider trading suspicions swirl.

Family Business or Financial Roulette

So what’s the truth here? That’s up to future evidence, but let’s face it: The Trump family has a rich history of benefitting from the “King’s” moves on the market. Whether this round’s mysterious short-seller is connected—well, everyone’s got theories.

The precision of this massive crypto short—timed right as Trump launched his tariff attack on China—reeks of “insider trading.” 

A half-hour before Trump’s 100% tariff announcement, a shadowy account started stacking huge shorts on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid. The final bet? Placed exactly one minute before Trump’s public bombshell. That kind of play only makes sense if you’ve got live updates from the source—insiders who knew a crash was about to hit.

We all know what happened next—Bitcoin plummeted, smashing past $110,000 to a low of $105,900, a full 20% nosedive from its earlier $126,000 high. Ethereum got wrecked too, sinking to $3,380—down more than 20%. The whole market was an avalanche, catching 1.6 million investors totally off guard. Meanwhile, someone out there was celebrating. That shadowy account made off with a cool $160 million, over HK$1.25 billion, in just 24 hours. The biggest winner in this bloodbath.

Who could have predicted the carnage? To many, it looked almost like a psychic move—the mysterious trader knew exactly when Bitcoin would collapse. No wonder speculation kicked off: The people most likely to know about Trump’s sudden plans are none other than his family and top insiders. Their tentacles reach deep into crypto, so imagining these accounts are tied to them doesn’t sound crazy at all.

Trump’s family holds sway in crypto—was the market crash and rebound just another day in their playbook?

Old Habits Die Hard

Let’s not pretend this is groundless. Trump and family have a record for scooping up “policy news” windfalls. 

Back in April, before Trump announced a pause on reciprocal tariffs, US stock volumes mysteriously surged—clearly, someone was buying big. After the news, the market soared, and the early birds made billions. 

There were plenty of whispers then that Trump’s family, friends, and confidants may have known the plan before it went public. Proof is always tough, but Trump himself slipped up—at a White House sit-down with his financial buddy Charles Schwab, he openly said his “old friend” had pocketed $2.5 billion that day. Sure smells like privileged tips were flying and someone loaded up ahead of time.

In recent years, the Trump family has gone extra-hard on crypto investments. Last year, they set up “World Liberty Financial” (WLF), raising funds specifically to play the market. The patriarch himself has made a habit of pushing out policies to pump up cryptocurrencies, keeping everything tightly aligned with the family business. Surprise, surprise—their companies’ profits keep surging, and their pockets get fatter every single time.

This time was textbook. Trump threw out his hard tariff talk, smashed Bitcoin, then pivoted and talked nice, letting the price rebound above $110,000 while Ethereum got a 2% lift. Crash, rebound, and those “in the know” raked it in—again, and again. Record profits from every swing.

Are Trump’s family and friends behind it? Maybe we’ll never get all the answers, but for anyone watching closely, America’s “money politics” is looking uglier than ever.

What Say You?

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Long after the Black Riots ended, key pan-democrats who stuck around Hong Kong played it safe—low profile, out of headlines. But these same figures kept cozy ties with foreign consular powerbrokers, facts anyone can see from repeated public invitations. On this occasion, Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung showed up as VIPs at the British Consulate. The warmth? It’s no mystery, if you know their backstory.

Reunion at the Consulate: Anson Chan, Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung pose at the British King’s birthday luncheon

Raising Questions, Finding Evidence

A friend dropped a telling remark after seeing the photo: British decision-makers groomed Anson Chan for power even before the Handover, and those links never really faded. The relationship is unusually tight—two behind-the-scenes stories make that fact plain. Must be why the British still roll out the red carpet for Chan.

After quitting the government in 2001, Chan inched closer to the opposition and even won a Legislative Council seat. For years, US and UK consuls wined and dined her—plenty of evidence in social media posts and diplomatic cables—to allegedly “discuss strategies” for Hong Kong. It’s not gossip; it’s documented pattern.

When the 2019 unrest exploded, Anson Chan took sides on the so-called “international front.” Prosecutors stated in open court that, behind the scenes, Jimmy Lai directed “Stand With Hong Kong” (SWHK)—led by Andy Chan, Andy Li, and Finn Lau—to carry out international lobbying and publicity campaigns, spending large sums of money.

Court documents further show that Anson Chan wasn’t a bystander: back in 2019, she brought Andy Li to a luncheon with then British Consul Andrew Heyn. Martin Lee, Dennis Kwok, and Charles Mok were also there. The prosecution records are clear—Chan leveraged her foreign contacts to make connections for SWHK, all with Jimmy Lai’s shadow looming in the background.

2019, Behind Closed Doors: Anson Chan sits down with Consul Andrew Heyn

Not Just a “Chat Over Tea”

There’s more. During anti-extradition protests, surveillance and eyewitnesses caught Anson Chan on August 13, 2019, holding secret discussions at a hotel with Andrew Heyn and his aide—documents in hand. That was no idle chat. The British Consulate’s involvement raises eyebrows, especially as staff like Simon Cheng were repeatedly spotted at protest sites. Cheng ran off to the UK, claimed political asylum, and neatly sidestepped questions about his activities.

With the national security law approaching, Chan made a quick exit from politics—claiming “retirement.” She kept out of jail, but her dealings with foreign diplomats never stopped. When the new US Consul General Julie Eadeh met her right on arrival, Beijing protested—an incident widely reported by state outlets and foreign press alike. Now, Chan’s red carpet invite to the British King’s birthday party again stirs scrutiny.

The rest of the guest list tells its own story. Emily Lau, Alan Leong, and Kenneth Leung all made appearances. Notably missing: Martin Lee, once the darling of the British. No explanation given—just another twist in an old game. For the establishment camp, only Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk attended, showing that official ties with the British remain careful and distant.

Looking at these staged reunion snapshots, my friend shakes his head—those glory days are long past. Wise up, he says: the era is over, and flirting with foreign consulates only ended up undermining Hong Kong’s stability. It’s time for these figures to accept reality and leave wishful thinking in the past.