Crypto News: Bitcoin Slips Below $91K as Solana, XRP and Cardano Extend Weekly Losses

Bitcoin traded below $91,000 on Tuesday as the broader crypto market struggled to regain momentum following a tariff-driven sell-off earlier this week, with major altcoins continuing to underperform.The largest cryptocurrency briefly dipped under $90,000 during early European trading before stabilizing, while Ether hovered near $3,200. Although price action was relatively muted on the day, market sentiment remained cautious as investors continued to rotate toward traditional safe-haven assets.Altcoins including Solana (SOL), XRP and Cardano (ADA) posted steeper weekly losses than Bitcoin, underscoring their higher sensitivity to risk-off conditions.Altcoins lag as risk appetite weakensWhile Bitcoin has managed to hold above key psychological support levels, smaller tokens have borne the brunt of the recent pullback. Analysts say the divergence reflects a familiar pattern during periods of macro uncertainty, when capital consolidates into Bitcoin or exits crypto markets entirely.Renewed tariff tensions between the United States and Europe, sparked by comments from President Donald Trump related to Greenland, have unsettled global markets. The uncertainty has driven investors toward gold and silver, both of which rallied sharply, while cryptocurrencies lagged behind even as some equity indices steadied.Crypto trading as high-beta risk assetFarzam Ehsani, co-founder and CEO of crypto exchange VALR, said the latest price action shows crypto behaving less like a hedge and more like a high-risk asset.“Capital is rotating into established safe havens, while crypto continues to trade as a high-beta risk asset,” Ehsani said, adding that Bitcoin may struggle to sustain higher levels without clearer macro support.Rising U.S. Treasury yields have added further pressure, as global bond markets sold off amid fiscal concerns and geopolitical uncertainty. Higher yields tend to weigh on speculative assets by tightening financial conditions.Traders remain defensiveDerivatives positioning suggests traders remain cautious heading into the midyear period, with limited appetite for aggressive leverage. Market participants appear to be waiting for a clearer catalyst — such as renewed institutional inflows, easing inflation data, or stronger signals of future rate cuts — before committing to directional bets.For now, crypto prices remain locked in a low-volatility range, with Bitcoin holding key support but altcoins continuing to show relative weakness.