Bitcoin has risen above $64,600 after U.S. President Donald Trump stated Washington will not be holding talks with Iran, whereas conflicting claims over the Strait of Hormuz stored oil above $91 per barrel.
In an Aug. 18 Reality Social publish, Trump stated the USA and Iran weren’t holding discussions and had no negotiations scheduled, contradicting latest stories that diplomatic contacts may produce one other momentary settlement.
“The Naval Blockade stays in full pressure and impact. The Hormuz Strait is open and working,” Trump wrote.
The president additionally stated all water mines within the strait had been eliminated or detonated. Iran disputed his account, with chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf saying Tehran would hold the waterway closed till the USA fulfilled circumstances contained in a June interim settlement, in accordance with Reuters.
In response to Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Tehran’s circumstances embody lifting the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, eradicating oil sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian property, and ending U.S. army threats and operations. The memorandum, signed on June 17, established a 60-day interval for negotiations towards a broader settlement that would come with Iran’s nuclear program.
Its negotiating window has now expired with out an extension.
Trump says Hormuz is open as Iran rejects the declare
Trump’s account of regular operations within the Strait of Hormuz stays at odds with transport exercise and statements from Tehran.
Though some vessels proceed to go by means of the route, Reuters reported restricted site visitors and a latest incident by which a ship was struck by an unidentified projectile. Knowledge cited by Fox Information confirmed 28 confirmed crossings from Friday by means of Sunday, in contrast with a mean of about 130 ships per day earlier than the conflict started in February.
Iranian officers have stated passage will stay restricted till Washington honors the June settlement. Trump, nonetheless, stated on Aug. 17 that Iran needed a deal however wouldn’t settle for the phrases he thought-about crucial.
The dispute adopted an earlier Reality Social publish by which Trump shared a map labeling the strait as “New U.S. Territory.” Iran rejected the territorial declare, whereas Trump maintained that U.S. naval forces managed the passage.
U.S. and Israeli forces launched assaults on Iran in late February, beginning a battle that’s approaching its sixth month. In response to Reuters, Tehran adopted what one senior official described as a “totally offensive” place on Aug. 17 after diplomacy failed to provide one other settlement.
No new main Iranian assault had been reported instantly after the assertion.
The Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of world oil and liquefied pure fuel provides earlier than the battle. Any sustained restriction due to this fact impacts crude availability, transport prices, and vitality costs paid by American households and companies.
Bitcoin value recovers whereas oil stays above $91
Bitcoin ($BTC) was buying and selling at $64,611 on the time of writing, up about 0.6% from its earlier shut. The cryptocurrency had moved between an intraday low of $64,005 and a excessive of $64,926, putting the psychological $65,000 degree inside attain.
The advance got here whilst oil costs elevated for a 3rd consecutive session. Reuters reported that Brent crude rose 0.7% to $91.46 per barrel, whereas U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 0.9% to $85.25.
Earlier in August, Bitcoin confronted draw back strain when assaults on tankers close to Hormuz lifted vitality costs and strengthened demand for the U.S. greenback. $BTC fell as little as $62,466 on July 31 after failing to carry above $65,000, whereas its four-hour chart positioned the $62,000–$63,000 space on the heart of the market’s subsequent transfer.
The present restoration has introduced Bitcoin again towards the identical resistance area. A sustained break above $65,000 has not but occurred, with Tuesday’s excessive stopping at $64,926.
For U.S. buyers, the oil transfer issues as a result of larger gas and transport prices can feed into inflation information. Federal Reserve officers think about inflation when deciding rates of interest, whereas elevated borrowing prices can scale back investor demand for property akin to Bitcoin and expertise shares.
U.S. equities remained beneath strain throughout Tuesday’s session. The Nasdaq Composite fell about 1.4%, the S&P 500 misplaced 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Common slipped 0.1%, in accordance with The Wall Avenue Journal. The publication additionally reported that the 10-year Treasury yield reached 4.72%, whereas the 30-year yield climbed to five.33%, its highest degree since 2007.
Technique pauses Bitcoin gross sales after two weeks
Bitcoin additionally obtained reduction from the absence of one other sale by Technique, the biggest publicly traded company holder of the asset.
In response to an Aug. 17 submitting with the U.S. Securities and Trade Fee, Technique made no Bitcoin purchases or gross sales between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16. Its holdings remained unchanged at 840,447 $BTC, acquired for an combination $63.36 billion at a mean value of $75,385 per coin.
As crypto.information reported on Monday, the corporate raised $333.7 million by promoting 3.46 million frequent shares throughout the week however didn’t use the proceeds to amass extra Bitcoin.
Technique’s submitting ended two consecutive weeks of $BTC disposals. Through the earlier week, the corporate bought 1,690 $BTC for about $108.6 million after promoting roughly $105 million of Bitcoin one week earlier.
As a result of Technique trades on the Nasdaq beneath the MSTR ticker, its Bitcoin choices have an effect on U.S. shareholders who use the inventory as an oblique type of crypto publicity. The corporate’s newest submitting additionally confirmed that its common Bitcoin buy value remained above $BTC’s present market worth.
Technique used its latest financing exercise to extend its U.S. greenback reserves and repurchase most popular shares. Its Aug. 17 submitting stated the corporate purchased again about $132.2 million of STRC most popular inventory throughout the week.
White Home assembly places U.S. crypto guidelines in focus
Washington’s digital-asset coverage calendar has provided one other focal point for Bitcoin merchants.
A White Home assembly scheduled for Aug. 19 is anticipated to incorporate representatives from Coinbase, Ripple, a16z, Chainlink, Paradigm, Kalshi, and the Digital Chamber. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig are additionally anticipated to take part, in accordance with folks accustomed to the plans.
The administration had not revealed a proper agenda or confirmed the ultimate participant listing on the time of reporting. Trump’s attendance had additionally not been formally introduced, though Semafor reported that he was anticipated to participate.
The White Home gathering comes because the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act stays stalled within the Senate. The laws would divide federal oversight of digital property between the SEC and CFTC, putting qualifying digital commodity spot markets beneath the CFTC whereas holding crypto securities throughout the SEC’s authority.
The Home handed its model in July 2025 by a 294–134 vote. Senate progress has slowed over disagreements involving authorities ethics, decentralized finance, stablecoin rewards, and monetary crime controls.
Polymarket merchants positioned the invoice’s probability of turning into legislation in 2026 at about 20% on Aug. 17, down from greater than 80% earlier within the 12 months. Individually, the platform’s odds of no less than one Federal Reserve fee enhance in 2026 fell to 49% from a latest degree above 60%.
Earlier in August, rate-hike odds reached 64% after Federal Reserve Financial institution of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari warned that inflation remained too excessive. The Federal Reserve held its goal vary at 3.50%–3.75% in July, when three officers supported a quarter-point enhance.
