Geopolitical Tensions Escalate, Bitcoin Falls Below $74,000 Mark

According to BroadChain, at 19:00 on April 20, NewsBTC reported that as tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalate again, Bitcoin's price is under pressure and declining. Although the Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 29 points on Monday (the highest since late January), it remains in the "fear" zone. Previously, Bitcoin's price on Coinbase had reached a high of $78,300 on Friday evening, but the sudden change in the situation over the weekend caused it to quickly give up those gains. On Saturday, Iran announced it would close the key oil transit route through the Strait of Hormuz; on Sunday night, U.S. forces fired on and took control of an Iranian cargo ship. Iran condemned the move as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and vowed retaliation, while also withdrawing from peace talks originally scheduled for Monday. As a result, Bitcoin's price once fell below $74,000. Other markets were also affected: S&P 500 futures fell by 0.78%, Nasdaq 100 futures dropped by 0.6%, and Dow futures fell by about 450 points; meanwhile, crude oil futures surged over 4.5% due to supply concerns, breaking above $95 per barrel. The two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran is set to expire on Wednesday, and Iran has already rejected new negotiations. The market is closely monitoring developments. As of press time, Bitcoin is trading at approximately $75,098.