Bitcoin holds above $70,000, but future direction hinges on Iran-U.S. 'talks'

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Bitcoin holds above $70,000, but future direction hinges on Iran-U.S. 'talks' Cryptos bounced on Trump’s five-day pause announcement, but the next move hinges on whether tensions between the U.S. and Iran ease or spiral, a Wintermute trader said. By Krisztian Sandor | Edited by Stephen Alpher Mar 23, 2026, 9:14 p.m. Make us preferred on Google Bitcoin (BTC) price on Monday (CoinDesk) What to know : Bitcoin climbed above $70,000 and held most of its gains after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure. Altcoins including ether, solana and dogecoin rose about 5%, while crypto-linked mining stocks rallied alongside broader equity markets, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each up roughly 1.2%. Analysts say bitcoin’s next move hinges on whether oil prices and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz stabilize, which could support another test of the $74,000 to $76,000 range, or worsen, potentially dragging prices back toward the mid-$60,000s. Bitcoin BTC $ 70,855.67 held onto gains Monday after an early surge above $70,000, but the rebound’s fate now hinges on what's next between the U.S. and Iran. The move followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a five-day pause on strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, citing "productive" diplomatic talks. Iranian officials denied the existence of talks, but markets largely brushed it off, with risk assets holding firm through the session. Bitcoin hovered just below $71,000 later in the session, up 3.8% over the past 24 hours. Altcoins outperformed, with ether (ETH), solana (SOL) and DOGE $ 0.09499 each gaining around 5%. Crypto-linked equities also rallied, led by bitcoin miners, which have increasingly traded in line with AI infrastructure plays. Hut 8 (HUT) jumped more than 11%, while Bitfarms (BITF), Cipher Mining (CIFR), CleanSpark (CLSK), Riot Platforms (RIOT) and TeraWulf (WULF) advanced 6%-7%. Traditional markets joined the move higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both closing about 1.2% up. While the temporary pause has eased pressure in energy markets, traders should treat the rebound cautiously in risk assets. "The macro ceiling has shifted," said Jasper de Maere, OTC trader at Wintermute. "How much room opens up depends on the next five days." If oil stabilizes and shipping flows through the Strait of Hormuz normalize, he said, inflation concerns could ease, allowing rate-cut expectations to return and removing a key headwind for crypto. In that scenario, bitcoin could make another run at the $74,000–$76,000 range, the level that has capped rallies in recent weeks, according to de Maere. A breakdown in talks or renewed disruption to energy supply would have the opposite impact, he said. It would likely push oil higher again, reinforcing inflation risks and sending markets back into risk-off mode that could pull bitcoin back toward the mid-$60,000s. Bitcoin News Market Wrap More For You Prediction market boom spurs new VC fund backed by Polymarket, Kalshi CEOs By Helene Braun , AI Boost | Edited by Stephen Alpher 1 hour ago The fund, called 5c(c) Capital, is aiming to raise $35 million to fund startups tied to the rapid growth of event-based trading markets. What to know : A new venture capital firm, 5c(c) Capital, is launching to invest specifically in companies built around prediction markets, with backing from the CEOs of Polymarket and Kalshi. The fund aims to raise up to $35 million and back about 20 early-stage startups over two years, focusing on infrastructure and services such as data tools, liquidity provision and compliance systems rather than exchanges alone. The launch comes amid rapid growth in prediction markets, with rising trading volumes, new users and interest from major crypto and retail trading platforms, and has attracted more than 20 early investors including a Millennium Management portfolio manager and other prediction market founders. 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