Asian equities and technology shares advanced after the U.S. and Iran agreed on a roadmap toward a final peace deal, a move that helped drag oil prices below $80. Crypto markets, however, remained subdued, with bitcoin down around 2% on the week and memecoins leading declines.
Bitcoin began the week drifting near $64,000, missing the broader rally in Asian stocks as optimism built around progress in U.S.–Iran negotiations toward a longer-term settlement.
The token traded around $63,996 on Monday, down 0.4% in the past 24 hours and 2.2% on the week, according to CoinDesk data. Altcoin performance was mixed: solana rose 3.7% to $74 and tron gained 2.2%, while ether held steady at $1,733. Weakness was more pronounced across larger tokens, with BNB down 4.2%, XRP falling 4.3% to $1.13, and dogecoin underperforming with a 6.5% weekly drop. Hyperliquid’s HYPE declined 5% on the day, easing to a 1.9% weekly gain after recent strength.
Despite a more supportive macro backdrop, crypto failed to keep pace with risk assets. The U.S. and Iran agreed on a 60-day roadmap toward a final peace deal, while Brent crude slipped 1.7% to around $79 per barrel.
Asian equities, tracked by an MSCI index, rose 0.6%, led by a tech-driven advance supported by ongoing artificial intelligence optimism. U.S. equity futures were slightly weaker, with S&P 500 contracts down 0.5%.
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan said in a joint statement reported by Bloomberg that progress had been made, including a framework for continued technical discussions and a communication channel aimed at ensuring safe passage for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, uncertainty persists. Talks reportedly got off to a shaky start on Sunday after Iran briefly paused participation following renewed strike threats from President Donald Trump tied to regional tensions, before both sides agreed to establish communication channels to avoid escalation.
Bitcoin has generally tracked risk sentiment through the Iran developments but is starting the week flat even as equities push higher. The key question is whether the 60-day roadmap holds—and whether crypto eventually reconnects with improving risk appetite or continues trading in a narrow range below early-June levels.
