Key Highlights
- BTC declined 2.1% to reach $75,633 while Brent crude oil soared 7.1% to $126.41 per barrel, marking a four-year peak
- Military briefings on Iran operations fueled the energy price surge and triggered risk-averse trading behavior
- Major altcoins including Ether, XRP, Solana, and BNB experienced losses; Dogecoin bucked the trend with a 3.8% gain
- Nasdaq 100 futures reversed early gains of 1.1% despite positive results from Alphabet and Amazon; Meta shares declined 6%
- Market experts suggest BTC requires Brent crude to fall under $100 and reduced Middle East conflict before challenging $80,000
The cryptocurrency market experienced downward pressure Thursday as energy commodities reached multi-year highs, fueled by emerging reports regarding possible U.S. military engagement with Iran.
Brent crude oil experienced a substantial 7.1% surge to $126.41 per barrel following an Axios report indicating President Donald Trump will receive briefings on fresh military strategies concerning Iran. Additionally, U.S. Central Command has allegedly requested the deployment of hypersonic missile systems to the Middle Eastern region.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained essentially blocked since hostilities erupted in late February. This situation has severely restricted the transportation of crude oil, natural gas, and oil products through this critical global shipping corridor.
Brent crude has now surged over 100% since the beginning of the year and is currently experiencing a nine-consecutive-day rally, the longest such streak since May 2022.
Bitcoin experienced a 2.1% decline to $75,633 during Asian market sessions. The leading cryptocurrency has fallen 3% over the weekly period and remains $50,000 beneath its record high of $126,000 established in October 2025.
During April, Bitcoin has maintained a trading range between $74,000 and $78,000, despite crude oil’s climb from $98 to $126 per barrel.
Alternative Cryptocurrencies Face Widespread Losses
Ether recorded a 3.4% decrease to $2,244 and has fallen 4.4% over the week. XRP retreated 2.1% to $1.37. Solana experienced a 2.6% drop to $82.62, while BNB decreased 1.9% to $615.
Dogecoin emerged as the sole top-10 cryptocurrency excluding stablecoins to register gains, climbing 3.8% daily and 10.1% weekly to reach $0.10.
Fernando Lillo, director at cryptocurrency exchange Zoomex, indicated that Bitcoin’s ability to surpass $80,000 hinges on the dissolution of the war premium. He emphasized that Brent crude needs to decline below $100 per barrel, noting the direct correlation between the two assets.
Lillo further described a potential scenario in which the Trump administration might end the Iran blockade, positioning it as a reaction to favorable Iranian diplomatic moves, which could propel Bitcoin toward $85,000.
Technology Sector Results Create Market Divergence
U.S. equity futures displayed mixed performance Thursday. S&P 500 futures advanced 0.2%, whereas Nasdaq 100 futures declined 0.2% and Dow futures retreated 0.6%.
Meta shares tumbled nearly 6% following the disclosure of lower-than-anticipated capital expenditure guidance and decelerating user expansion. Microsoft traded relatively flat despite surpassing projections for both revenue and earnings.
Alphabet shares jumped 6% driven by robust revenue performance and Google Cloud segment expansion. Amazon advanced 4% supported by strong cloud computing division results.
Apple is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings following Thursday’s closing bell.
The Federal Reserve maintained interest rates within the 3.5% to 3.75% range. Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated his intention to remain in his position beyond his current term’s conclusion, referencing ongoing legal challenges confronting the central bank.
