- Bitcoin drops 1.2% to USD 70,805 amid US-Iran talks collapse.
- Fear & Greed Index hits 12, signaling extreme fear in crypto markets.
- Ether falls 1.3% to USD 2,187 as risk-off sentiment spreads.
Key Takeaways
- Bitcoin endures 1.2% price dip to USD 70,805 amid US-Iran talks collapse.
- Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunges to 12, extreme fear level.
- Ether slides 1.3% to USD 2,187 as risk-off hits majors.
Bitcoin price dip drove BTC to USD 70,805 on April 13, 2026. US-Iran nuclear talks collapsed overnight in Vienna. Fears of Strait of Hormuz blockade mounted (CoinMarketCap 24-hour data).
Iranian officials warned of retaliation.
US-Iran Collapse Triggers Bitcoin Price Dip
US diplomats left Vienna on April 12 after Iran rejected uranium curbs. Tehran cited US sanctions as impasse cause (Iranian state media).
Iran ran naval drills near Hormuz on April 13. The strait funnels 21 million barrels per day (bpd), or 20% of global oil flows (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024 average).
Traders baked in blockade odds. Brent crude surged 3.5% to USD 85.20/bbl on April 13. Risk assets like Bitcoin tumbled as capital fled to gold (spot +1.8% to USD 2,650/oz) and 10-year Treasuries (yield -5bps to 4.15%).
"Geopolitical shocks magnify crypto's beta to oil and equities," said Mike McGlone, Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodity strategist. Bitcoin mirrors oil spikes during Middle East tensions.
Crypto Fear & Greed Index Hits Extreme Panic
Crypto Fear & Greed Index crashed to 12, lowest since December 2025 (Alternative.me, aggregating volatility, momentum, sentiment).
Ether shed 1.3% to USD 2,187.33. XRP dipped 0.2% to USD 1.33; BNB gained 0.4% to USD 596.91.
USDT stayed at USD 1.00. Trading volume spiked 15% across majors (CoinGecko, April 13 UTC).
Institutions cut exposure. Bitcoin exchange reserves fell 2% week-on-week, signaling HODLing (Glassnode, on-chain reserves April 6-13).
Hormuz Blockade Risks Spike Inflation, Hit Miners
Hormuz closure halts 21 million bpd. JPMorgan pegs Brent at USD 100/bbl in weeks.
Oil surges fuel inflation: $10/bbl rise adds 0.2-0.4pp to US CPI (Fed models, energy pass-through). ECB HICP energy share: 10%; Fed PCE: 7% (2025 weights). Banks delay cuts.
Tech chains suffer cost hikes; crypto miners face margin squeeze. Global power prices track oil 20-30% (Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance). Bitcoin hashrate dropped 1.8% April 13 00:00-24:00 UTC (Hashrate Index).
"Geopolitics flips crypto from hedge to oil-beta play," said Zack Shapiro, Blockworks Research CEO.
US bolstered Gulf presence. USS Abraham Lincoln group arrived April 10 (Pentagon).
Iran routes 90% of 2.5 million bpd exports via Hormuz (EIA 2025), slashing $50bn annual revenue at USD 80/bbl (OPEC).
Institutions Outflow, On-Chain Cautious
Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw USD 120 million outflows April 13. BlackRock IBIT topped redemptions (Bloomberg ETF flows).
Whales shifted USD 450 million (1,000+ BTC addresses) to exchanges (Santiment, April 13).
Long-term holders (155+ days) scooped dips; realized price USD 52,400 (Glassnode).
DeFi TVL slipped 0.8% to USD 98 billion. Aave faced liquidations on leveraged bets.
"Oil risks favor gold, bonds over crypto now," said Katie Stockton, Fairlead Strategies founder. She targets USD 68,000 BTC support.
Bitcoin Price Dip Ripples to Equities, Asia
S&P 500 futures fell 0.7%; Nasdaq 100 -1.1%. Energy sector rose 2.4%.
MicroStrategy dropped 4%; Coinbase -3.2% premarket.
Fed held rates 4.75-5.00% in March FOMC, eyes inflation. Powell speaks April 14.
Asia opened lower: Nikkei 225 -1.2%, Hang Seng -0.9%. Yuan weakened 0.3% vs USD.
China, Hormuz oil importer (10% supply), braces disruptions.
Key Levels in Bitcoin Price Dip
Brent above USD 90/bbl accelerates downside. Fresh US-Iran talks spark 10% BTC rebound.
USD 70,000 support eyes USD 65,000. Iran naval moves dictate path.
