Hi, I'm a Bloomingbit reporter, bringing you the latest cryptocurrency news.
Bitcoin (BTC) has briefly regained the $105,000 mark. Meanwhile, as of 04:19 on the 18th, BTC is trading at $105,000.31 on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, down 3.28% from the previous day.
According to Decrypt, a crypto-focused media outlet, on the 17th (local time), British institutional investors are reportedly preparing to allocate retail client funds to crypto asset exchange-traded products (ETPs). Dovile Silenskyte, Research Director at WisdomTree, stated, "The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is currently reviewing whether to allow retail investors access to crypto asset ETPs," and added, "If the FCA grants approval, institutional investors managing retail client funds could actively begin investing within a few weeks."
With tensions escalating between Israel and Iran, an analysis suggests that heightened geopolitical stress could create a favorable long-term environment for Bitcoin (BTC). According to cryptocurrency-specialized media outlet Cointelegraph on the 17th (local time), Mitil Thakore, co-founder of Velar, stated, "Geopolitical conflicts heighten the potential for long-term global inflation," and added, "This, combined with increased fiscal spending, monetary easing, supply chain disruptions, and soaring commodity prices, may work in Bitcoin’s favor." The outlet further reported, "When evaluating how Bitcoin responds to conflicts, key variables include the level of cryptocurrency adoption, exposure and correlation to traditional financial markets, and geographic accessibility," adding that "countries adjacent to conflict zones tend to experience greater losses and higher volatility, while the current structure of Bitcoin holdings is being reorganized around Western institutions."
According to CNN on the 17th (local time), President Donald Trump of the United States is reported to be holding an emergency meeting with the national security team in the Situation Room at the White House. This meeting is understood to be convened to discuss whether the United States will become further involved as tensions escalate between Iran and Israel. President Trump returned to Washington early, cutting short the G7 Summit in Canada a day before in order to attend.
According to CNN on the 17th (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to "surrender unconditionally." He continued, "I know exactly where Iran’s supreme leader is hiding. For now, I will not eliminate him," and warned, "I hope Iran's missiles will not target civilians or the U.S. military. Our patience is running out." Currently, the U.S. military has deployed additional fighter jets such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Lightning II to the Middle East, and U.S. government officials reportedly emphasized that this deployment is defensive in nature. These fighter jets have previously been used to intercept drones and projectiles.
Bitcoin (BTC) temporarily gave up the $104,000 mark. Meanwhile, as of 01:51 on the 18th, BTC is trading at $103,753.75 on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, down 3.59% from the previous day.
On the 17th (local time), Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated on Truth Social, "We are now in complete control of Iranian airspace," adding, "Iran possesses many excellent aerial tracking systems and other defensive equipment, but they do not compare to the United States’ level. There is no country better than the United States."
Currently, despite geopolitical pressure, Bitcoin (BTC) is showing a calmer trend compared to previous correction phases, but an analysis suggests that significant volatility could occur soon. According to crypto-specialized media outlet Cointelegraph on the 17th (local time), anonymous crypto analyst Skew explained, "BTC traders are showing more restraint in the recent correction than before." He stated, "Although BTC has dropped by about 3%, the market did not enter a state of panic," adding, "While previous 5% drops were accompanied by aggressive shorting, spot selling, spikes in volatility, and increased selling momentum and trading volume, this time such trends did not appear." He further noted, "Although there haven't been any big moves yet, there is a possibility that volatility could expand soon." Meanwhile, as of 01:01 on the 18th, BTC was trading at 104,244.88 USD on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, down 3% from the previous day.
According to CNN on the 17th (local time), the Iranian military announced that they had struck the Israeli military intelligence center in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a precision-guided missile early that morning. Iranian Ministry of Defense spokesperson Reza Talaei-Nik stated, "We struck the core of the intelligence center of the Zionist regime with a precision-guided missile, achieving this by penetrating the complex U.S.-backed defense system." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also released a statement saying, "Despite the presence of advanced air defense systems, an effective operation was carried out and the center is currently engulfed in flames." CNN reported that four missiles were observed falling near interceptor missiles and military facilities in central Israel. Meanwhile, an Israeli military official stated, "Since the start of the operation, both civilian and military targets have been struck."
The three major U.S. stock market indices are showing a downward trend. As of 00:31 on the 18th, the Nasdaq Composite Index is trading at 19,631.08 points, down 0.36% from the previous day. The Dow Jones Index is down 0.17% at 42,441.27 points, and the S&P 500 Index is currently at 6,012.69 points, down 0.34%.
On the 16th (local time), crypto-focused US media outlet CoinDesk reported that US investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald assessed Solana (SOL) to be more suitable than Ethereum (ETH) as a strategic corporate treasury asset. The bank stated in a recent report, "Solana’s developer growth rate is outpacing Ethereum’s, and it is more rational for companies to adopt Solana as a strategic treasury asset." It continued, "Solana aims to provide technology supporting transaction and market platforms in the digital economy," adding, "DeFi Development Corp has secured over 620,000 Solana after adopting it as a strategic treasury asset." Additionally, it explained, "The company is developing liquidity staking tokens and has acquired two validators, thereby deepening its entry into the Solana ecosystem," and set a target price of $45.
Blockchain data analytics company Chainalysis announced via X (formerly Twitter) on the 16th (local time) that it has entered into a partnership with Aptos (APT). Through this partnership, the Aptos Foundation will share wallet address information associated with illegal activities with Chainalysis, and plans to enhance on-chain crime response and regulatory compliance capabilities based on this collaboration.
The three major U.S. stock indexes closed higher. On the 17th, the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 1.52% from the previous session to 19,701.21 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 0.75% at 42,515.09 points, and the S&P 500 Index finished up 0.95% at 6,033.86 points.
On the 16th (local time), economic news account Walter Bloomberg cited multiple sources to report that US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to reach a final agreement on a bilateral tariff reduction deal. It is reported that the two leaders are expected to jointly sign the agreement at the ongoing G7 summit.
On the 16th (local time), according to Cointelegraph, a cryptocurrency-focused media outlet, the Bitcoin (BTC) network's hash rate and mining difficulty both reached all-time highs, putting pressure on the profitability of mining companies. The mining cost per 1BTC is expected to exceed $70,000, representing an increase of more than $6,000 compared to the first quarter of this year. Currently, the 14-day average hash rate of the network stands at 913.5EH/s. Fee revenue has dropped to less than 1% of the total block reward, and hashprice (mining revenue per 1TH/s) once fell to $52 before rebounding slightly. Meanwhile, as of 04:04 on the 17th, BTC was trading at $108,294.63, up 2.66% from the previous day, on the Binance Tether (USDT) market.
According to the virtual asset (cryptocurrency) analysis platform Unfolded on the 16th (local time), it has been confirmed that JPMorgan Chase has filed a trademark application under the name 'JPMD.' Within the industry, this is interpreted as a preliminary move to prepare for the launch of its own stablecoin or digital payment asset.
Eric Balchunas, Bloomberg ETF specialist, said on X (formerly Twitter) on the 16th (local time) that "Bitcoin (BTC) is an extremely rare asset that has repeatedly set new all-time highs (ATH) even after experiencing more than 50% drops several times," adding, "This level of resilience is similar to top-tier stocks such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Berkshire Hathaway." Meanwhile, BTC is trading at $108,085.39, up 2.48% from the previous day, on the Binance Tether (USDT) market as of 03:47 on the 17th.
According to CNN on the 16th (local time), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stated that "Iran has no intention to escalate the war with Israel, but will respond proportionally to any attack." President Pezeshkian said, "Due to Israel's incursion, Iranian civilians, scientists, and military leaders have been killed," and emphasized that "This war was not started by Iran, and Iran will respond in proportion to the extent of the attacks." He also stressed regarding the possible resumption of nuclear negotiations with the United States that "it depends on whether the Zionist regime (Israel) stops its attacks on regional countries." In response, President Erdoğan said, "Turkey is ready to play a mediating role to help de-escalate tensions and support the resumption of nuclear negotiations."
Bitcoin (BTC) temporarily recovered the $108,000 level. Meanwhile, as of 03:24 on the 17th, BTC is trading at $108,029.99 on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, up 2.43% from the previous day.
James Seyffart, a Bloomberg analyst, reported via X (formerly Twitter) on the 16th (local time) that passage of the U.S. virtual asset market structure bill (CLARITY Act) in Congress is at a stalemate. He explained, "Currently, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party participating in the bill negotiations are showing differences of opinion regarding whether to include a conflict of interest provision for the President, Vice President, members of Congress, and their families." He added, "Some Republican figures are objecting, claiming that the provision could be exploited as a political tool to target specific individuals."
Eric Trump, the second son of Donald Trump, the President of the United States, officially denied the recent rumors circulating online regarding Tron (TRX) and Strategy (MSTR) through his X (formerly Twitter) account on the 16th (local time). Eric Trump stated, "The rumor that Tron will launch a company similar to myself and Strategy is not true," adding, "I have no connection whatsoever to the company in question." Previously, the cryptocurrency news-specialized X account db had reported that Tron was expected to launch a company similar to Eric Trump and Strategy.
According to Cointelegraph, a media outlet specializing in virtual assets (cryptocurrencies), on the 16th (local time), entrepreneur and podcaster Brad Mills projected that the price of Bitcoin (BTC) could surge 100-fold over the next 10 to 20 years. He cited accelerated BTC adoption by institutions, supply scarcity due to halving, and technological innovation for small investors as drivers behind this outlook. Brad Mills stated, "The U.S. government's introduction of a strategic BTC reserve program is also noteworthy," adding, "Under President Trump's executive order and Senator Cynthia Lummis' legislation, the government has decided not to sell the 200,000 BTC it has seized but to hold it as a reserve asset." He continued, "This signals that BTC is establishing itself as a strategic macro asset, comparable to gold or government bonds." Meanwhile, as of 02:19 on the 17th, BTC is trading at $107,860.32 on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, up 2.20% from the previous day.
On the 16th (local time), CNN reported that Israel carried out an airstrike on the building housing Iran's state broadcaster IRINN's studio. At the time, news anchor Sahar Emami was hosting a live broadcast when a loud explosion was heard on air and debris was seen falling. The broadcast later resumed from another studio. According to footage released by Iran's state TV, the glass-clad building in Tehran's District 3, where IRINN is based, had its exterior damaged and was engulfed in flames. The building is a media complex accommodating several radio and TV channels. IRINN is a core channel under the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), appointed directly by Iran's Supreme Leader, and is a major tool for the regime's propaganda. Staff are hired through thorough background checks. Prior to this, Israel had issued evacuation orders for residents in the Tehran area where IRINN is located, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had warned, "Iran's propaganda and incitement apparatus will soon disappear." This remark is interpreted as a foreshadowing of the current attack.
According to Crypto Briefing, a virtual asset (cryptocurrency) media outlet, on the 16th (local time), Canadian listed company Universal Digital officially announced its Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation strategy. The company stated it will gradually dispose of its current holdings in altcoins and reallocate those funds to BTC purchases. The specific scale of purchase was not disclosed. Meanwhile, as of 00:48 on the 17th, BTC was trading at $107,628 on the Binance Tether (USDT) market, up 1.89% from the previous day.
The three major U.S. stock indices are showing an upward trend. As of 00:38 on the 17th, the NASDAQ Composite Index is trading at 19,707.22 points, up 1.55% from the previous session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.90% at 42,578.03 points, and the S&P 500 Index is up 1.04% at 6,039.16 points.
According to Reuters on the 14th (local time), the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call of about 50 minutes with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which the two leaders intensively discussed the ongoing military conflict between Israel and Iran. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov conveyed, "President Putin strongly condemned Israel’s military operation against Iran and expressed deep concern over the expansion of this situation, as it could have unpredictable ramifications throughout the Middle East." President Trump, through his social media platform Truth Social, stated, "Most of the conversation focused on the Middle East crisis, and I told Putin that this war needs to end," adding, "At the same time, I explained to him that the war in Ukraine must also come to an end." President Putin also discussed with Trump the potential resumption of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Ushakov added, "The two leaders did not rule out the possibility of renewed negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, and Russia hopes to resume the suspended negotiation schedule using Oman as a mediator." However, the previously scheduled U.S.-Iran negotiations have currently been postponed. According to Ushakov, Putin has already proposed concrete solutions to reach mutually acceptable terms between the U.S. and Iran, emphasizing that "Russia still adheres to those solutions." Meanwhile, President Trump assessed the personal relationship with Putin during this call, saying, "We have a good personal relationship, so we were able to discuss even complicated international issues pragmatically."
The three major U.S. stock indices closed lower. On the 14th, the Nasdaq Composite Index finished at 19,406.83 points, down 1.30% from the previous day. The Dow Jones Index closed down 1.79% at 42,197.79 points, while the S&P 500 Index ended down 1.12% at 5,977.57 points.
According to DL News on the 13th (local time), the global cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is reportedly planning to integrate a decentralized exchange (DEX) into its mobile app. Initially, support will begin with a DEX based on its own blockchain, ‘Base’, and other blockchains will be supported sequentially in the future.
Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck, analyzed that a significant number of smallcap companies—those with low market capitalization—which claim to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars worth of tokens, are likely engaging in 'pump and dump' schemes intended to artificially inflate prices. In an interview with cryptocurrency-focused media The Block on the 13th (local time), he said, "If the market capitalization is extremely low and information about new major investors is not disclosed, I believe it's a scam."
Donald Trump, President of the United States, remarked that Israel's airstrike on Iran could actually have a positive effect on negotiations regarding the Iran nuclear deal. According to CNN on the 13th (local time), President Trump said, "I don't think (the airstrike) will have a negative impact on the talks," and added, "On the contrary, it could be the opposite. Now Iran may seriously come to the negotiating table." President Trump recalled that previous talks with Iran failed to conclude within 60 days, stating, "We came close to an agreement, but they missed the opportunity. However, now there is a possibility." Meanwhile, President Trump avoided giving specific details when asked whether he had spoken on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that day.