Tensions Escalate in the Strait of Hormuz, Bitcoin Sells Off as Safe-Haven Asset, Plunging to $61.7K

marsbitPublished on 2026-07-14Last updated on 2026-07-14

Abstract

Bitcoin's price fell sharply on Monday, July 13, dropping approximately 4% to around $61,700, as heightened geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz triggered a broader shift toward safe-haven assets across global financial markets. Analysts attributed the decline to a confluence of factors: escalating U.S.-Iran tensions fueled risk-off sentiment, reignited inflation concerns, and dampened expectations for near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts. This macro-driven sell-off coincided with a slowdown in institutional ETF inflows and a wave of liquidations for leveraged long positions following Bitcoin's failure to break key resistance levels. Despite the pullback, several market observers characterized the move as a typical, healthy correction within a longer-term bullish cycle, noting that the underlying structural trajectory for Bitcoin remains intact. Attention now turns to upcoming U.S. Consumer Price Index data, which will provide further direction on inflation and monetary policy, key factors influencing risk assets like Bitcoin.

Written by: Forbes

Compiled by: AididiaoJP, Foresight News

On Monday, July 13, Bitcoin prices experienced a notable pullback as global financial markets collectively shifted into risk-off mode due to the latest geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. This event, intertwined with other macro factors, exerted significant downward pressure on the price of this digital asset, swiftly cooling market sentiment.

According to real-time data from Coinbase on the TradingView platform, the price of the world's most valuable cryptocurrency once fell to around $61,700. Earlier in the session, Bitcoin had briefly approached a high near $64,400 but ultimately pared gains and turned negative, ending the day down approximately 4%.

This volatility also echoed the broader stock market performance: major U.S. equity benchmarks such as the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average similarly declined on the day, indicating a weakening of overall investor risk appetite.

Multiple market analysts pointed out in interviews that this Bitcoin price adjustment was not an isolated event but a direct reflection of changes in the global macro environment. In emailed comments, Roy Kashi, Co-founder and CEO of Falconedge, analyzed: "The recent weakness in Bitcoin primarily stems from the broad risk-off sentiment prevalent in global markets."

He further explained that escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran have not only pushed up international oil prices but also reignited market concerns about inflation while diminishing expectations for near-term interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. In this context, investors tend to reduce exposure to risk assets, including Bitcoin, seeking safer havens instead.

Tal Fromchenko, Founder and CEO of Leveraged, expressed similar views and added more specific triggers. He stated: "The price drop to around $62K is mainly influenced by escalating tensions between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a broader sell-off in risk assets.

Simultaneously, institutional inflows via ETFs have slowed, and after Bitcoin failed to break through key resistance levels on Friday, it triggered a large number of forced liquidations of leveraged long positions." Nevertheless, Fromchenko maintained an optimistic outlook, emphasizing: "This is just a typical macro-driven shakeout within a healthy multi-year market cycle. Bitcoin's overall structural growth trajectory remains intact, and the long-term upward trend is unchanged."

Himanshu Sahay, Co-founder and CTO of the Arch crypto lending platform, offered an interpretation from the perspectives of market psychology and liquidity. He noted in an email: "I believe this decline is not triggered by a single event, but more likely the result of the market's combined reaction to macro sentiment, position sizing, and liquidity conditions—factors that can change rapidly in a short period."

Sahay advised investors not to overinterpret short-term volatility, pointing out that Bitcoin has historically experienced sharp price movements during periods of high volatility. Future direction will still depend on the evolution of macroeconomic conditions and the gradual rebuilding of investor confidence.

Saeed Al-Marri, CEO of Ethra Invest, focused his attention on technical aspects and upcoming key data. He analyzed: "From a technical perspective, what we are seeing now looks more like a wave of liquidations rather than a loss of confidence in Bitcoin. When a large number of traders are leveraged long—meaning they borrow money to bet on price increases—any price drop can reach loss thresholds, forcing exchanges to automatically liquidate these positions."

He specifically mentioned that long positions are currently being liquidated at six times the rate of short positions (6 to 1), which clearly indicates that it is primarily bullish bets being cleared out, not a large-scale investor exit from Bitcoin.

Al-Marri further emphasized the macro-level influence: "The bigger driver lies in the upcoming U.S. Consumer Price Index data, i.e., inflation figures, to be released this Wednesday. If the data comes in higher than expected, it would further delay hopes for Fed rate cuts. A higher interest rate environment makes relatively safe assets like bonds and cash appear more attractive, thereby putting pressure on volatile assets like Bitcoin."

He concluded: "The real core story right now is not a structural breakdown in Bitcoin itself, but that the entire market is holding its breath, waiting for the guidance that will come from the key CPI number."

Overall, this Bitcoin price retracement reflects the immediate impact of geopolitical uncertainty on global risk appetite. However, analysts from multiple institutions agree that this falls within the scope of normal market adjustment and does not alter the fundamental nature of Bitcoin as a long-term growth asset. While paying attention to short-term fluctuations, investors also need to closely track this week's U.S. inflation data and further developments in the geopolitical situation to better grasp subsequent market directions.

Related Questions

QWhat is the main reason for Bitcoin's recent price drop according to most analysts in the article?

AThe main reason for Bitcoin's recent price drop is a broad global shift towards safe-haven assets driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz between the US and Iran, which has sparked a widespread risk-off sentiment.

QHow did the US stock market perform on the day Bitcoin price fell significantly?

AOn the day Bitcoin price fell significantly, major US stock market benchmarks like the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average also moved lower, reflecting a general decrease in investor risk appetite.

QAccording to Tal Fromchenko, what specific factor triggered a large wave of forced liquidations for leveraged long positions in Bitcoin?

AAccording to Tal Fromchenko, the forced liquidations were triggered after Bitcoin failed to break through a key resistance level on Friday, following the price decline caused by the heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

QWhat key economic data point does Saeed Al-Marri highlight as a major driver for Bitcoin's price movement in the coming days?

ASaeed Al-Marri highlights the upcoming US Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data release as a major driver. If the data comes in higher than expected, it could further delay hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts, putting pressure on volatile assets like Bitcoin.

QWhat is the overall consensus among the cited analysts regarding the long-term trend for Bitcoin despite the recent sell-off?

AThe overall consensus among the cited analysts is that the recent sell-off is a typical macro-driven shakeout within a healthy multi-year market cycle. They believe the fundamental long-term upward growth trajectory for Bitcoin remains intact and unchanged.

Related Reads

The Price of DeFi Mass Adoption: Understanding the Profit Distribution and Hidden Risks of Aave Stable Vaults

**Title:** The Price of DeFi Mass Adoption: Understanding Aave Stable Vaults' Profit Distribution and Hidden Risks **Summary:** Aave Labs' new "Stable Vaults" product aims to simplify DeFi for mainstream users by offering fixed yields, a rarity in crypto. The model inserts a middleman layer between users and Aave's underlying lending pools. This layer, often a fintech app or digital bank, absorbs interest rate volatility, guaranteeing users a pre-set stable return while capturing any excess yield from Aave's underlying pools. In exchange for this predictable "peace of mind" and services like customer support and simplified onboarding, users sacrifice potential higher yields and take on new counterparty risks from the operating entity and its infrastructure. The article illustrates this with the example of payroll provider Rise, which transparently passes through most Aave yield, versus the higher profit margins possible through Stable Vaults. While a rational trade-off for many non-expert users prioritizing simplicity and security, the system centralizes risk and obfuscates true market yields. Aave benefits by attracting sticky, non-speculative capital crucial for its long-term economic model, highlighting the industry's shift towards catering to fundamental human preferences for convenience over complex, self-managed financial systems.

Foresight News9m ago

The Price of DeFi Mass Adoption: Understanding the Profit Distribution and Hidden Risks of Aave Stable Vaults

Foresight News9m ago

Stripe's $53.4 Billion Acquisition of PayPal: The Final Piece of the Stablecoin Empire Puzzle

Stripe has reportedly made a $53.4 billion acquisition offer for PayPal, a move that could signal a major shift in the stablecoin landscape from a "technology race" to a "customer war." Over recent years, Stripe has been quietly building nearly every layer of a stablecoin empire: acquiring the issuance platform Bridge, wallet provider Privy, co-incubating the payments-focused Layer 1 network Tempo with Paradigm, and joining the Open USD (OUSD) alliance stablecoin initiative. What it lacks, however, is a massive direct consumer user base. PayPal, with its hundreds of millions of active accounts, the Venmo app, and its own PYUSD stablecoin, would provide exactly that. The acquisition could create a closed-loop system where Stripe handles the merchant side, PayPal/Venmo serve consumers, and transactions are settled via stablecoins on a blockchain like Tempo, potentially bypassing traditional card networks and their fees. While the deal is not yet finalized and may face hurdles—including potential resistance from PayPal's board or a higher bid—the mere offer suggests Stripe's strategic focus may have evolved. It indicates that having superior infrastructure alone may not be enough; distribution and user access are critical battlegrounds. Questions remain about how PYUSD, OUSD, and Venmo would integrate with Stripe's stack, and whether private equity co-investor Advent International would prioritize such crypto experiments. If successful, this acquisition could significantly boost Tempo's position in the competitive public blockchain space and further push crypto-based payments into the mainstream, potentially fulfilling PayPal's original vision of an internet-native currency through a new, crypto-native infrastructure.

marsbit22m ago

Stripe's $53.4 Billion Acquisition of PayPal: The Final Piece of the Stablecoin Empire Puzzle

marsbit22m ago

Hyperliquid's "Stock Price" for ChangXin Memory Tech Hits $8.64: How Was This Price Determined Before the IPO?

Title: Hyperliquid's "Stock Price" for CXMT Hits $8.64: How is This Pre-IPO Price Determined? Summary: On Hyperliquid, a derivative contract tracking the pre-IPO value of Chinese chipmaker Changxin Xinqiao (CXMT) has been trading, with its price reaching $8.64. This price is not a real stock price or a direct IPO valuation, but the result of a specific market mechanism. Trade.xyz deployed this "Pre-IPO Perpetual" (IPOP) contract via Hyperliquid's HIP-3 framework. It tracks the expected USD value of one Changxin A-share post-listing. The contract started with an artificial "discretionary reference price" of $5 set by Trade.xyz. Subsequent trading prices are primarily determined by supply and demand on Hyperliquid's on-chain order book. Since there's no tradable现货 before the IPO, the contract price isn't forced to align with the official IPO price of 8.66 RMB (~$1.28). Key mechanics shape the price: 1. **Order Book-Driven**: The actual成交价 comes from limit orders matched on-chain. 2. **Internal Oracle & Smoothing**: An internal oracle, run by Trade.xyz, calculates a smoothed price based on the order book's "impact price" using a 30-minute exponential moving average (EWMA). This oracle price influences funding rates. 3. **Mark Price for Risk**: A separate Mark Price, derived from the median of the internal oracle and other inputs, is used for calculating profit/loss and liquidation. 4. **Discovery Bound (Price护栏)**: A 20% "Discovery Bound" limits how far the price can move from the current reference point. However, if the price hits the bound, the reference price can be re-anchored upward (or downward) up to 7 times. This explains the阶梯状 jumps to $6, $7.2, and $8.64. 5. **Low Funding Rate**: A minimal funding rate (0.005 multiplier) allows positions to be held with low cost before the IPO, but it provides a weak anchor. Post-IPO, the contract is expected to convert to a standard stock perpetual, with its oracle switching to the actual A-share price converted to USD. This transition could cause price jumps and potential liquidations if there's a significant gap between the pre-IPO contract price and the real market price. In essence, the $8.64 price is a composite of: a人为设定的起点 + on-chain order book supply/demand +内部 oracle 平滑 + low funding rate damping + a moving price护栏. It represents a collective bet by specific market participants on the future public market valuation, not the company's current or official IPO price.

marsbit23m ago

Hyperliquid's "Stock Price" for ChangXin Memory Tech Hits $8.64: How Was This Price Determined Before the IPO?

marsbit23m ago

Prices From the Future Fool the Oracle, Ostium Drained of $24 Million in Five Minutes

Ostium, a perpetual trading platform, suffered a security incident on July 15, resulting in significant losses from its public liquidity vault. Initial analyses from Blockaid, Cyvers, and PeckShield estimate losses of up to $24 million. The exploit occurred over a five-minute window. According to security firms, the core issue was not a missing signature, but a data integrity failure: a registered price oracle (PriceUpKeep) submitted authorized price reports with manipulated future timestamps, creating false trading profits. The protocol’s verification process confirmed the signatures as authorized but did not enforce price sanity checks or timestamp boundaries, allowing the manipulated data to be accepted for settlement. This caused the liquidity vault to pay out on these fraudulent profits. Ostium’s co-founder confirmed the team paused trading within an hour and is collaborating with law enforcement and security experts. The extracted funds were reportedly swapped for ETH, with a portion moved to Tornado Cash. The incident highlights risks in DeFi oracle designs where cryptographic signature verification is insufficient without additional safeguards for data validity, timestamp freshness, and price reasonableness. Ostium's response and planned fixes—including stricter timestamp validation, independent price checks, and circuit breakers—will be critical to preventing similar exploits.

marsbit45m ago

Prices From the Future Fool the Oracle, Ostium Drained of $24 Million in Five Minutes

marsbit45m ago

Trading

Spot
活动图片