Bitcoin, Ethereum Slip as Trump Says He’s ‘Not Desperate’ to End Iran War

Bitcoin fell along with US stocks on Thursday as investors weighed conflicting stories about the Iranian leadership’s willingness to negotiate an end to the Middle East conflict.

The digital asset recently changed hands around $69,170, down 2.3% in the past day, according to Coin gecko. Bitcoin had fallen closer to $68,000 earlier in the afternoon before rallying again. Meanwhile, Ethereum was down 4.4% at $2,070, while Solana was down 5% at $86. The declines pushed all three cryptocurrencies into negative territory this week.

Reflecting Wall Street’s declines, the S&P 500 closed 1.7% lower on the day. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell more than 2.3%, while the Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 470 points after shares were relatively strong on Wednesday.

After the stock market closed on Thursday, crypto prices moved higher. Trump said in a Truth Social post about peace talks “things are going very well” as a self-imposed deadline for attacking Iranian energy facilities is extended.

Before the opening bell, Trump said in a separate letter after that Iran’s leadership “must quickly get serious” about facilitating an end to nearly four weeks of fighting that has thrown the global economy into turmoil — before there is “NO RETURN,” he wrote.

He later did so during a cabinet meeting insisted from the White House that the Iranian leadership is “begging to make a deal” that will end the war, and not himself. He described himself as “the opposite of desperate,” and refuted media reports describing the opposite.

During the meeting, White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said the US had presented a 15-point framework for a peace deal that would see Pakistan handed over to Iran. On Wednesday, Abbas Arghici, the country’s foreign minister, said there was “no intention to negotiate for the time being.” BBC.

While Bitcoin remains above $63,200 — its lowest price when the war broke out 28 days ago — crypto markets reflect geopolitical uncertainty, said Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at crypto data firm Nansen. Declutter. She pointed to the positioning of Bitcoin derivatives, noting “continued demand for downside hedging” among market participants.

“On the chain, capital is behaving defensively,” Barthere added. “The clearest inflows are in interest-bearing stablecoins and liquid staking tokens, suggesting investors are prioritizing carry and capital preservation amid macro uncertainty.”

As investors assess whether negotiations are moving toward a credible deal framework, Barthere said geopolitical tensions are likely to remain a key driver. On Thursday, Brent crude futures rose 5% to $107 a barrel, paring weekly losses. Trade economics.

On Myriad, a prediction market from Declutter‘s parent company Dastan, traders provided a 60% chance that crude will spike to $120 on Thursday before reaching $55. This month, they predict a whopping 78% chance that crude oil will be the first to reach $120 per barrel.

Thursday’s dip contrasts with Bitcoin’s buoyancy to start the week. The digital holdings amounted to $71,000 after Trump said this was the case commissioned the US Army to pause planned attacks on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, pending further meetings.

Over the past 24 hours, users of Myriad, a prediction market platform operated by DeclutterBitcoin’s parent company, Dastan, has turned bearish on Bitcoin’s short-term prospects. estimate a 52% chance that the next stop is $55,000 instead of $84,000.