- The wealth of the world’s 500 richest people plummets by $536 billion due to new U.S. tariffs.
- Elon Musk suffers the largest individual loss of $31 billion.
- The S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped over 10% and 11%, respectively.
Between April 3 and 4, 2025, the world’s 500 richest people saw their net worth decrease by $536 billion, the largest two-day drop in history.
Triggered by the U.S. announcing new global tariffs, this wealth loss also coincided with significant stock market declines.
U.S. Tariffs Prompt Unprecedented Wealth Decline
U.S. President Donald Trump announced new global tariffs, resulting in an immediate sharp decline in stock markets. Billionaires like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos faced significant losses of up to $31 billion, as their companies’ shares plummeted by double digits. This event marked an unprecedented wealth decline over two days.
The tariffs led to a significant decrease in market values, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recording over 10% losses, affecting tech, luxury goods, and other sectors. Analysts estimated global markets lost $4.9 trillion, with U.S. markets contributing $5.9 trillion to these losses. Bitcoin displayed resilience as a hedge, rising slightly despite broader market sell-offs.
“Donald Trump, U.S. President, acknowledged the turbulence caused by the tariffs but defended his policy, describing it as part of an ‘economic revolution’.” source.
Reactions were mixed; President Trump defended the tariffs as part of an “economic revolution,” despite market disruptions. Community sentiment on social media showed skepticism toward the tariff policy’s long-term implications, with experts predicting sustained economic turbulence. SEC to reassess cryptocurrency regulations amid economic uncertainty.
Bitcoin Stability Amid Market Turmoil
Did you know? In March 2020, the world’s richest lost $453 billion in two days during the COVID-19 outbreak. The recent $536 billion loss surpassed this by $83 billion, the largest two-day wealth destruction ever.
According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin (BTC) traded at $82,398.23 as of April 6, 2025, with a market cap of $1.64 trillion. Although BTC’s 24-hour volume decreased by 48.46%, it represented a minor 0.46% drop in price, showcasing its appeal during economic instability.


Expert insights from the Coincu research team suggest these tariffs may lead to prolonged financial instability, possibly altering market perceptions and regulatory stances. Bitcoin’s position as a hedging instrument is reinforced, and shifts in macroeconomic policies may guide future investment strategies and technology development.