Trump Meets Xi in Beijing; Bitcoin Rises Ahead of Talks

President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday at 10:15 a.m. local time for a bilateral summit. According to officials familiar with the schedule, the agenda included trade, technology transfer, Taiwan and Iran. The visit was Trump’s first state trip to China in nearly a decade.

Cryptocurrencies moved higher ahead of the talks. Bitcoin rose about 3% in the week before the summit as traders priced in reduced trade and geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

Market participants viewed the leaders’ meeting as a possible reduction in policy shocks that have affected global markets. Some analysts expect a constructive outcome to lift major tokens by 5% to 10%.

In 2025, escalations in the U.S.-China trade dispute were linked to roughly $19 billion in leveraged liquidations across crypto markets, according to market data. Those forced sell-offs highlighted how sudden policy shifts can trigger large losses in highly leveraged positions.

Policy differences between Washington and Beijing remain. China has banned most cryptocurrency activity since 2021, prohibiting trading and mining, and has promoted a state-controlled digital yuan that gives authorities visibility over transactions. The Trump administration adopted a more industry-friendly stance during the 2024 campaign.

Analysts and industry participants flagged U.S. regulatory delays as a risk to American competitiveness in digital finance. Pending measures such as the Clarity Act and the America’s Bitcoin Act have not advanced, they noted.

The summit followed months of diplomatic contacts and economic negotiations. While the talks did not resolve long-running disputes immediately, investors continued to monitor developments for changes to trade, tariff and technology rules.