Bitcoin Falls Below $80K as US-Iran Tensions Shake Crypto Markets
Bitcoin moved lower on Friday after renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran reduced investor appetite for risk-sensitive assets. The broader cryptocurrency market also traded in negative territory as geopolitical uncertainty weighed on sentiment.
Despite the pullback, Bitcoin remains on track for a sixth consecutive week of gains, supported by continued institutional demand, bargain buying, and progress in U.S. crypto regulation discussions.
Bitcoin declined 1.7% to $79,602.8 during Friday trading but still maintained a weekly gain of 1.3%.
Strategy Holdings Add Pressure to Bitcoin
The market also reacted to comments from MSTR, one of the largest corporate holders of Bitcoin. The company stated that it may consider selling part of its Bitcoin holdings in order to fund dividend payments.
While the company did not clarify the size or timing of any potential sale, the announcement added further pressure to Bitcoin prices during the session.
US-Iran Conflict Hits Risk Assets
Global risk markets weakened after the U.S. military confirmed strikes against Iran following attacks on three American warships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran accused the United States of violating a ceasefire agreement earlier in the week through attacks on Iranian vessels and civilian infrastructure.
The latest escalation followed a U.S. military operation aimed at restoring commercial shipping traffic through Hormuz. President Donald Trump later claimed the operation had been paused only days after it began.
Iran has strongly criticized the operation and continues to push for greater control over the strategic waterway.
The renewed conflict largely overshadowed earlier reports suggesting that negotiations between both sides had been progressing positively and that a potential agreement could be close.
Binance Faces New US Treasury Scrutiny
BNB also came under pressure after reports emerged that the U.S. Treasury had sent a letter to Binance demanding compliance with a monitoring program tied to earlier sanctions and anti-money-laundering violations.
According to reports, regulators are investigating claims that more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency transactions connected to Iran-linked entities moved through Binance during 2024 and 2025.
BNB, the exchange’s native token, fell 1.7% on Friday following the report.
US Jobs Data Beats Expectations
Meanwhile, fresh U.S. labor market data showed that employers added more jobs than expected in April, signaling continued resilience in the economy despite rising geopolitical and economic pressures.
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 115,000 during the month, surpassing economist expectations of 55,000 jobs. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3%.
Wage growth, however, came in softer than expected. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% month-over-month and 3.6% annually, both below analyst forecasts.
The latest data arrives as the Federal Reserve continues to face uncertainty over inflation, tariffs, and geopolitical risks. Markets currently expect the central bank to leave interest rates unchanged for the remainder of the year.
Altcoins Trade Lower Alongside Bitcoin
Broader cryptocurrency prices also moved lower on Friday as investors reduced exposure to risk assets.
Ethereum dropped 1.7% to $2,275.58, while XRP lost 1.1%.
Solana and Cardano posted smaller declines, while memecoins showed mixed performance.
Dogecoin fell 2.5%, whereas Official Trump managed a modest gain of 0.8%.
