As we head into 2026, three heavyweight factors are shaping up to be major market movers—and crypto traders should be paying attention.

First up: US-China trade dynamics. Growing tensions and potential tariff escalations could trigger volatility across global markets, including digital assets, which often move inversely to traditional equity risk-off scenarios.

Second, USMCA trade flows are shifting. Renegotiation concerns and policy changes affecting North American commerce will ripple through broader economic growth expectations and currency valuations—both crucial for cross-border crypto transactions.

Then there's inflation. Despite recent cooling, stubborn price pressures remain a wildcard. How central banks respond—more rate cuts or hawkish holds—will directly influence capital allocation between traditional yields and higher-risk assets like crypto.

The intersection of geopolitical uncertainty, trade policy rewrites, and monetary tightness is creating a complex macro backdrop. Smart positioning means watching these three pillars closely as they'll likely determine the overall risk appetite driving 2026's asset performance.