BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes believes the economic chaos triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs will inevitably lead to a monetary easing cycle, which, in his view, will act as rocket fuel for Bitcoin (BTC).

With digital asset markets struggling to stabilize, the crypto enthusiast is doubling down on his prediction of a massive rally for Bitcoin. He argues that economic imbalances resulting from Trump’s policies will force central banks to unleash a wave of money printing, pushing the number one cryptocurrency to new all-time highs.

The Tariff Tsunami and Its Ripple Effects

This week, the crypto market faced a violent shakeup after Trump unveiled what economists call the largest U.S. tariff expansion since 1982. Effective April 5, imports from 185 countries will face a 10% blanket tariff, with much steeper rates on key trading partners: 34% for China, 20% for the European Union (EU), and 24% for Japan.

The move, framed by the U.S. President as “Liberation Day,” triggered an immediate sell-off across risk assets. Bitcoin dropped 7%, going from $88,500 to $82,200 within hours as the sector shed $140 billion. The SP 500 futures were hit even harder, erasing nearly $2 trillion in market cap in the aftermath of Trump’s announcement.

Hayes, however, sees the chaos as an opportunity. Striking a defiant tone, he posted on X, “I LOVE TARIFFS,” alongside charts highlighting the United States’ worsening trade imbalances.

“Global imbalances will be corrected, and the pain papered over with printed money, which is good for $BTC,” he wrote.

He also argued that by disrupting foreign dollar inflows, tariffs would force the Federal Reserve and other central banks to step in and support sovereign debt markets, essentially rebooting the quantitative easing (QE) cycle.

“The Fed and banking system must step up to ensure a well-functioning treasury mrkt, which means Brrrr,” said Hayes, referencing the popular meme for money making. If his take on the situation is correct, then the question is when, not if, that money finds its way into crypto.

BTC to $250,000?

The former BitMEX CEO has repeatedly predicted that Bitcoin’s price could fly past $250,000 by the end of 2025, largely driven by the expansion of the global fiat supply as well as a growing distrust of traditional financial systems.

However, there are still risks to consider, including Japan’s potential devaluation of the yen, with Hayes forecasting USD/JPY above 160. Other countries could also hit back at the U.S. with hiked tariff rates of their own, further amplifying volatility.

Meanwhile, BTC is still trying to regain its footing. At the time of writing, its price had grown by a modest 1% in the last 24 hours, although it registered losses across longer timeframes. Over 30 days, the asset is down 3.7%, while in the past week, it has shed about 1.1% from its value, slightly outperforming the broader crypto market which dipped 1.70% in that period.