In what’s fast becoming a theme this year, it’s been another volatile month for crypto as investors race to keep up with President Trump’s bombastic approach to policy announcements. This month saw tariffs announced and tariffs rolled back, markets fall and markets rise. So where are we now? Amidst the uncertainty in the markets, it’s important to stay on your toes. Here’s some of the key events traders are looking out for this month.

April recap

Bitcoin kicked off the month trading at around the $83k level, though a trickle of tariff tit-for-tats between the US and China saw a steady downward drift to a low just $75k by 9 April. This proved to be a low, with the market leader meeting resistance at this level and steadily climbing back to where it began at around $83k. 

A breakout over Easter weekend saw Bitcoin leap back above $90k for the first time since early March, and it appears to have settled at around $93k for the time being. 

Alt markets were slower to recover, but have generally followed a similar pattern of behaviour – dipping in the middle of the month and seeing a steady retrace. Render (RENDER, in particular, has performed well, rising by around 15% in the last 30 days.

What’s happening in May? 

Amazon and Apple Q1 earnings reports

1 May 

Why investors care

Their earnings reports are viewed as a barometer for the overall health of the tech sector and broader economy. Strong results could boost investor sentiment and risk appetite, signalling that investors are more willing to engage with riskier assets like cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, disappointing earnings could lead to a flight to safety, reducing investor interest in speculative assets like crypto.

Ethereum Pectra upgrade

7 May

Why investors care

Pectra combines two previous upgrades, Prague for the execution layer and Electra for the consensus layer, aiming to enhance Ethereum’s efficiency, scalability, and overall functionality. This could potentially boost market confidence by driving greater adoption and utility.

Fed interest rate decision 

7 May  

Why investors care

President Trump has been putting the US central bank under intense pressure to lower interest rates, going so far as to threaten its Chair Jerome Powell with the sack. He sees them as a way to mitigate the inevitable economic slowdown, as his tariff policies drive up consumer costs and stall global trade. Traditionally, investors also tend to react positively to lower interest rates. However, there’s added spice this month as Trump’s threat to fire Powell appeared to have a negative impact on markets in April, so if rates do stay the same we could have more of the same there too.

US inflation numbers

13 May  

Why investors care

US inflation data could give investors an idea of whether there’s steady progress in curbing inflation – especially intriguing given higher inflation is thought to be one of the main consequences of tariffs. The Fed also considers this data when making monetary policy decisions.

Solana “Ship or Die” event

22 May 

Why investors care

The “Ship or Die” event in New York promises to highlight cutting-edge innovations in the Solana ecosystem. New products and partnerships could spark further growth of Solana, sparking investor interest, boosting SOL’s price, and solidifying Solana’s status as a leading smart contract platform.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information is not intended to be nor does it constitute financial, tax, legal, investment or other advice; nor is it a call to trade. The information is intended as general market commentary for information purposes only. Before making any decision or taking any action regarding your finances, you should consult a qualified Financial Advisor.