Bitcoin Drops Below $100K Amid Fears of Iranian Retaliation Against U.S.
Bitcoin slipped beneath the $100,000 mark on Monday as markets grew uneasy over reports that Iran might be preparing strikes against U.S. military bases in the Gulf region.
The cryptocurrency fell to around $98,500 before recovering slightly, trading just above six figures.
Other digital assets followed suit, with Ether (ETH) dropping below $2,200 and XRP sliding under $2 before both stabilized. The CoinDesk 20 Index fell about 3% during U.S. morning trading but remained modestly higher on a 24-hour basis.
Axios reported that former President Donald Trump’s White House was bracing for possible Iranian retaliation targeting U.S. bases in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. The potential strikes are thought to be a response to U.S. airstrikes over the weekend that hit three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump was reportedly in discussions with his national security team to evaluate the developing threat.
“Bitcoin’s pullback reflects a surge in geopolitical risk and broader market uncertainty,” said Kirill Kretov, senior automation expert at CoinPanel. “Escalating tensions in the Middle East are prompting investors to shy away from high-risk assets.”
