Bitcoin slides under $64,000 as U.S. and Israel launch strikes on Iran

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Bitcoin slides under $64,000 as U.S. and Israel launch strikes on Iran The drop extends a pattern where bitcoin sells off on geopolitical shocks before recovering, as the token's 24/7 liquidity makes it one of the few large assets traders can exit over the weekend. By Shaurya Malwa Feb 28, 2026, 6:56 a.m. Make us preferred on Google What to know : Bitcoin fell below $64,000 in Saturday trading, dropping about 3 percent and hitting its lowest level since early February after U.S. and Israeli launched strikes on Iran. The weekend sell-off underscores bitcoin's role as one of the few large, liquid assets available to traders when geopolitical risks spike while stock and bond markets are closed. The attack on Iran heightens the risk of a broader regional conflict in a key economic area, following weeks of U.S. military buildup and stalled nuclear negotiations with Tehran. Bitcoin fell below $64,000 in Saturday trading after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, pushing the largest cryptocurrency down roughly 3% in a matter of hours and extending what had already been a difficult weekend for risk assets. The move brings bitcoin to its lowest level since the Feb. 5 crash, when the token briefly dipped below $60,000. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared an immediate state of emergency across all areas of Israel. A U.S. official confirmed American participation in the strikes. The sell-off follows a well-established pattern. Bitcoin trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while equity and bond markets are closed on weekends. That makes it one of the only large, liquid assets available for traders to sell when geopolitical risk spikes outside of traditional market hours. The result is that bitcoin often acts as a pressure valve for broader risk-off sentiment during weekend events, absorbing selling that would otherwise spread across equities, commodities, and currencies if those markets were open. The attack risks a wider regional conflict in one of the most economically sensitive parts of the world, following a monthlong U.S. military buildup and failed negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. More For You Bitcoin slides to $65,000 in weekend sell-off, with solana, XRP, dogecoin down 6% By Shaurya Malwa 2 hours ago The pullback erased most of Wednesday's push toward $70,000 as hot producer-price data and a post-earnings Nvidia decline dragged risk assets lower heading into the weekend. What to know : Bitcoin has retreated to about $65,700 after a brief attempt to reclaim $70,000, as deteriorating risk sentiment in U.S. equity markets weighed on crypto prices. Altcoins fell more sharply than bitcoin, with major tokens like Solana and ether dropping more than 6%, erasing their recent outperformance despite strong inflows into U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs. Macro headwinds from hotter-than-expected U.S. producer price data and rising concerns about job displacement, alongside shrinking USDT reserves on exchanges, have intensified worries about downside risk as bitcoin remains stuck in a $60,000 to $70,000 trading range. Read full story Latest Crypto News Bitcoin slides to $65,000 in weekend sell-off, with solana, XRP, dogecoin down 6% 2 hours ago U.S. Senate Democrats asked Treasury, DOJ to probe Binance's illicit finance controls 8 hours ago Coinbase’s head of litigation says states are 'gaslighting' on prediction markets 9 hours ago Citi and Morgan Stanley expand bitcoin and crypto custody, trading and tokenization efforts 11 hours ago Bitcoin's rebound cancelled as U.S. stocks fall, gold surges, amid mounting macro risks 13 hours ago Vitalik Buterin reveals his bold new plan to fix Ethereum’s scaling problem 14 hours ago Top Stories Bitcoin ETF holders and treasury firms stack protection against price crash below $60,000, Deribit says Feb 27, 2026 The worst may lie ahead. Bitcoin chart revisits historic pattern. 18 hours ago Barclays looks for tech provider for new blockchain settlement engine: Bloomberg 14 hours ago Punters want crypto: UK Gambling Commission explores how to keep bettors on licensed sites 15 hours ago U.S. regulator's GENIUS pitch casts dark cloud over crypto sector's stablecoin model Feb 26, 2026 Germany's AllUnity issues regulated stablecoin tied to safe haven Swiss franc 20 hours ago