Bitcoin Falls Below $76,000 as Trump Threatens to Bomb Iran

Since the U.S.-Iran war began in late February 2026, threats from Tehran and its allied groups against President Donald Trump have become a central security concern. The Qatar-donated Boeing 747-8, valued at $400 million, had been rushed into presidential service but faced questions over whether it matched the older Air Force One aircraft’s anti-missile defenses and electromagnetic-pulse protection. The episode matters because a threat to the president’s aircraft could widen the conflict and rapidly reprice energy and risk assets.

U.S. officials said on July 24 that intelligence had uncovered a credible Iranian and proxy plot to fire a missile at Trump’s plane. The Secret Service had urged him to use the older aircraft when he left Ankara on July 8; that jet carries laser technology designed to blind incoming missiles. Escalating U.S.-Iran strikes and Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers also jolted markets. Brent settled at $100.69 a barrel on July 23, while Bitcoin fell 1.5% to $64,158.50 by 5:17 p.m. ET on July 24.

The conflict between the United States and Iran has heightened geopolitical risks in the Middle East, while concerns over oil supplies and inflation weighed on global risk assets at one point. Bitcoin and crypto-related stocks such as Coinbase and Strategy are highly sensitive to liquidity and safe-haven sentiment, meaning signs of a ceasefire or negotiations are quickly reflected in cryptocurrency prices and U.S. equities.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in July that military operations against Iran were progressing better than expected and that a conflict initially projected to last four to five weeks could end early. He also said U.S.-Iran negotiations had made significant progress. The comments pushed Bitcoin back above $69,000, extended gains in crypto-related stocks and the broader U.S. equity market, and sent oil prices sharply lower.

U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and steel plants, followed by Iranian retaliation against several Persian Gulf countries, have escalated the Middle East conflict into a risk for global energy and financial markets. With U.S. equities and other traditional markets closed over the weekend, round-the-clock Bitcoin trading became a key real-time gauge of investors’ flight to safety, capital withdrawals and broader risk sentiment.

Bitcoin fell about 3% at one point over the weekend and dropped below $63,000 after the conflict entered its third day. It had briefly recovered to $68,000 following news of Iran’s supreme leader’s death, but weakened again as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes continued, Iran retaliated and South Korean stocks tumbled. Brent crude surged to $106 a barrel, while oil-linked futures on Hyperliquid rose 5%.

Tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program and regional security have escalated again, clouding negotiations after markets had expected the two sides to reach a peace agreement. Because Bitcoin trades around the clock and leveraged positions are concentrated, geopolitical developments often trigger rapid risk-off selling and cascading liquidations.

CCTV cited sources on July 20 as saying the United States could resume military strikes against Iran as soon as next week. Options include bombing infrastructure or deploying special forces on the ground to seize nuclear material. Bitcoin briefly fell below $79,000 after the report and faced pressure from both long and short liquidations near $77,000.

Diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran affects tensions in the Middle East, energy prices and global risk appetite, with the impact also reflected in volatile assets such as Bitcoin. Washington had planned to send Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for a new round of talks involving Iran, briefly raising market hopes that tensions could ease.

According to an April 25, 2026, CoinDesk report, Bitcoin surrendered earlier gains after Donald Trump canceled the pair’s trip. The cryptocurrency fell about $100 to $77,351 near noon U.S. Eastern time. Traders viewed the move as a short-term geopolitical risk and were also watching Trump’s speech at a cryptocurrency conference in Palm Beach later that day.

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly backed “regime change” in Iran for the first time, and the White House reposted the statement, signaling that Washington may be shifting from pressure toward political intervention. If conflict in the Middle East drives up energy prices, it could intensify global inflation and demand for financial safe havens while limiting the Federal Reserve’s scope to cut interest rates.

As of July 20, mounting geopolitical risks had fueled selling in crypto assets, pushing Bitcoin below $74,000. The situation also subjected Fed nominee Kevin Warsh, who holds crypto- and AI-related assets, to scrutiny over inflation and conflict-of-interest disclosures. Volatility in oil prices and risk assets will be a key variable shaping the path of interest rates.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued Iran a 48-hour ultimatum on Truth Social, demanding a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He threatened to destroy bridges, oil fields and power infrastructure across Iran if it failed to comply. The threat drove up oil prices and demand for safe-haven assets, while the highly leveraged, round-the-clock crypto market moved first to price in the geopolitical risk.

On the eve of the deadline, Bitcoin briefly topped $70,000 before plunging from $69,000 to a low of $67,200. It later recovered to around $69,000. Crypto liquidations totaled $335 million over the past 24 hours, affecting more than 170,000 traders, while market sentiment remained in the “extreme fear” zone for a 46th consecutive day.

The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant share of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments. A blockade could drive up energy prices and inflation while hurting risk appetite across financial markets. U.S. President Donald Trump has used the threat of military action to pressure Iran to reopen the waterway, leaving Bitcoin and other crypto assets once again sensitive to geopolitical developments and safe-haven capital flows.

Trump recently gave Iran a two-week deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face a possible attack, while also signaling a two-week ceasefire. Investors bet that the conflict would ease, lifting the total cryptocurrency market capitalization by about 2.5%. Bitcoin briefly rose to $69,500, triggering about $255 million in short liquidations across the market.

U.S. President Donald Trump raised his condition for a ceasefire with Iran to “unconditional surrender” and ruled out a separate deal, escalating risks surrounding the nuclear dispute, the regional conflict and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a critical artery for global oil shipments. Concerns about military strikes or a blockade could drive up oil prices, the dollar and demand for safe-haven assets while weighing on risk assets such as bitcoin and stocks.

As of July 19, Trump had given Iran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, adding that any retaliation would draw an “extremely hard” response. Bitcoin briefly fell below $69,200 and traded as low as about $68,000 after the announcement. Oil rose, while ether, solana and global equities also came under pressure.

The conflict in the Middle East has heightened risks to energy supplies and financial markets. U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on whether to strike Iranian energy facilities has affected global oil prices, demand for safe-haven assets and crypto markets. Bitcoin had fallen more than 3% amid concerns over the conflict and a broader market selloff, underscoring the continued influence of geopolitical shocks on its short-term performance.

Trump said on July 19 that he would extend the pause on strikes against Iranian energy facilities by another 10 days, helping market sentiment recover slightly. Bitcoin subsequently pared its losses. Brent crude fell 2% to $109 a barrel, indicating that the risk premium had not fully dissipated.