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Crypto World

Bitcoin Slides as Donald Trump Escalates Iran War Rhetoric

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Crypto Breaking News
  • Bitcoin Drops Sharply as Geopolitical Tensions Trigger Market Selloff
  • Oil Surges Past $107 While Stocks and Gold Face Steep Declines
  • ETF Outflows and War Fears Weaken Crypto Market Confidence

Global markets turned lower as geopolitical tensions intensified following fresh U.S. military updates. Bitcoin fell sharply while oil prices climbed amid rising uncertainty. The developments triggered liquidations across crypto markets and pressured traditional assets simultaneously.

Bitcoin Extends Losses Amid Market Shock

Bitcoin traded near $66,380 after falling from $69,100 within twenty four hours. The asset dropped as oil prices rose amid rising uncertainty, and sentiment across markets shifted toward defensiveness.

The decline followed heightened geopolitical risks and sharp reactions across financial markets. Market volatility increased as traders responded quickly to macroeconomic uncertainty. The asset dropped as much as three percent during early Thursday trading sessions. Over $386 million in leveraged crypto positions were liquidated across exchanges.

This movement reflected a rapid shift toward defensive positioning among market participants. Institutional demand weakened after recent ETF inflows reversed into net outflows. Data showed a $296 million withdrawal last week, ending a sustained inflow trend. Modest inflows returned, although momentum remained fragile across the sector.

Ethereum and Altcoins Track Broader Weakness

Ethereum traded near $2,070 after declining more than four percent over the same period. The asset closely followed Bitcoin’s drop as market sentiment became risk averse. Selling pressure increased across major altcoins as volatility spread in the sector. Solana, apart from losing a lot in a short time, also dropped 5% in anticipation of the weekly losses. Altcoins were affected more heavily as price fluctuations became their natural response to changes in market sentiment.

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It shows that the weakness is spreading from Bitcoin to other digital assets. On-chain data revealed that people are turning to stablecoins and yield producing assets for their savings. Capital movement showed a desire to be safe and stable as the level of uncertainty remained high. Such actions mark lean times for the crypto market during this period.

Stocks, Gold Fall as Oil Prices Surge

The S&P 500 declined nearly two percent as equities reacted to geopolitical risks. Gold prices fell four percent, even though it’s usually seen as a safe haven. The drop came as oil rose from $98 to $107 per barrel. That rise fed inflation fears and cut demand for precious metals. Markets shifted focus amid growing geopolitical tension. Technology stocks also came under pressure, with major indexes falling across sessions. The decline matched wider worries about economic growth and stability.

The tensions were intensified by the unknown status of crucial shipping lanes in the Middle East. Increased energy prices added pressure to the global markets and altered the overall economic sentiment. Projections remain dependent on political factors, with the possible up and down of the stock market still tied to the Middle East conflict.

Insecurity regarding supply chains and energy production continues to affect investor mood. These factors may impact both crypto and traditional markets. Oil price prediction markets indicated that further increases in oil prices were anticipated. Traders predicted a significant likelihood of prices reaching higher levels in the near term. Such expectations highlight the persistent uncertainty about possible supply interruptions and the potential emergence of a prolonged unstable situation.

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The recovery of energy infrastructure could take months even if tensions ease. A longer delay in normalization may affect global economic growth and keep risk assets under pressure longer. Crypto markets could continue having big price swings if the geopolitical situation remains uncertain.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Crypto World

Stablecoins Dominate Crypto Trading as Retail Activity Drops: CEX.io

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Stablecoins Dominate Crypto Trading as Retail Activity Drops: CEX.io

Stablecoins were a rare bright spot in an otherwise subdued crypto market in the first quarter, with supply growth and transaction activity pointing to sustained demand even as broader market conditions weakened.

Total stablecoin supply increased by roughly $8 billion to a record $315 billion in Q1, according to data from CEX.IO. Although this marked the slowest pace of expansion since Q4 of 2023, it still represented growth during a period when the wider crypto market contracted.

The data suggests investors rotated into stablecoins as a defensive strategy, boosting their share of overall market activity. Stablecoins accounted for 75% of total crypto trading volume during the quarter — the highest level on record.

Stablecoins’ share of total digital asset trading volume exceeded its 2022 peak. Source: CEX.io

At the same time, total stablecoin transaction volume topped $28 trillion, underscoring their growing role as the primary liquidity layer of the digital asset market. The figure extends a multi-year surge in activity, with stablecoin volumes in recent years exceeding those of major payment networks like Visa and Mastercard combined.

However, data on underlying activity painted a more nuanced picture.

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Retail-sized transfers — typically associated with individual users — declined by 16% in the first quarter, the steepest drop on record. In contrast, automated activity surged, with bots accounting for approximately 76% of all stablecoin transaction volume.

The shift toward bot-driven flows suggests that a growing share of stablecoin usage is tied to algorithmic trading, arbitrage and liquidity provisioning, rather than retail demand. While elevated automation can reflect more sophisticated or institutional participation, it may also signal weaker organic demand during bearish market conditions. 

Related: Circle shares surge as Bernstein sees upside from stablecoin adoption

Divergence between major stablecoin issuers

One of the CEX.io report’s key takeaways was a widening divergence between major stablecoin issuers. The supply of Circle’s USDC (USDC) grew by roughly $2 billion in the first quarter, while Tether’s USDt (USDT) declined by about $3 billion, marking the first notable split between the two since Q2 of 2022 amid the bear market.

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The trend aligns with earlier Cointelegraph reporting, which highlighted a surge in USDC transfer activity in February, pointing to increased usage across trading and onchain transactions.

USDC is now more widely used for “financial operations,” which include trading and onchain transactions. Source: CEX.io

Beyond USDC, much of the growth in stablecoin issuance was driven by yield-bearing products — a segment that has drawn increasing scrutiny in the US. Ongoing discussions around a crypto market structure bill in Congress have placed yield at the center of debate, with traditional banks pushing back against stablecoins that offer interest-like returns.

The market for yield-bearing stablecoins is currently valued at around $3.7 billion, with daily trading volumes exceeding $100 million, according to data from CoinGecko.

Related: Crypto Biz: Stablecoin jitters meet institutional momentum