Crypto Market Trembles as Fear Engrosses Popular Digital Assets

**Crypto Market Faces Renewed Downturn Amid Mounting Macroeconomic Pressure**

The cryptocurrency market has once again entered a bearish phase as heightened macroeconomic tensions weigh heavily on investor sentiment. According to fresh market data, the total crypto market capitalization has declined by 3.84% in the last 24 hours, falling to $2.50 trillion. Meanwhile, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index has plunged to 18, indicating a state of "extreme fear" across the market.

### Leading Cryptocurrencies Take a Hit: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana Decline Sharply

Flagship cryptocurrencies are facing notable price corrections. Bitcoin ($BTC) has dropped 4.80%, currently trading at $76,312. Despite the price dip, Bitcoin’s market dominance has slightly increased by 0.05% to 59.42%.

Ethereum ($ETH), the second-largest crypto asset by market cap, has seen a sharper drop of 9.60%, bringing its price down to $1,443. ETH's market dominance now sits at 6.88%, marking a 4.34% decline.

Other top altcoins have also witnessed substantial losses. Solana ($SOL) and Binance Coin ($BNB) have recorded 5.61% and 2.89% declines, respectively, with SOL trading at $105.16 and BNB at $547.92.

### Small-Cap Movers: $ARDR, $DORA, and $FORTH Rally as Others Slide

Despite the broader market slump, some small-cap cryptocurrencies have managed to post significant gains. Among the top performers are Ardor ($ARDR), Dora Factory ($DORA), and Ampleforth Governance Token ($FORTH), which surged 65.4%, 45.0%, and 42.9%, respectively.

Conversely, smaller-cap assets like $FARTCOIN, EOS ($EOS), and NEAR Protocol ($NEAR) ranked among the top losers, recording price drops of 12.9%, 11.1%, and 10.1%.

### DeFi and NFT Sectors Experience Steep Declines

The downturn also extended to the DeFi and NFT ecosystems. The total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance protocols dropped 6.6%, falling to $112 billion. Among individual blockchains, **Soneium** emerged as a bright spot with a 30% rise in TVL, while **Renzo** saw a 10% decrease, leading the declines.

Meanwhile, the NFT market saw trading volumes slump by 21%, with overall volume falling to $4.4 million. Still, **CryptoPunks** remained the top NFT collection by volume, reaching $982,000. Notably, **World of Women** saw a remarkable 1,174% surge in volume, making it the fastest-growing collection during this period.

### U.S.-China Trade Tensions Fuel Market Uncertainty

Adding to the market pressure is the intensifying trade conflict between the United States and China. The U.S. recently imposed a staggering 140% tariff on Chinese goods, sending shockwaves through global financial markets—including crypto.

In the midst of this turmoil, some institutional players continue to forge ahead. Blackbird, CAP, and Stas Terminal successfully raised $50 million, $8 million, and $1.7 million, respectively, in their latest funding rounds.

Nevertheless, the broader crypto market remains on edge, with investors closely monitoring macroeconomic developments for signs of a potential recovery or deeper correction.