Bitcoin Could Turn Green as Trump Halts Iran Strike on Gulf Allies’ Plea 

Bitcoin (BTC) climbed back near $77,000 late on May 18 after President Donald Trump said he had halted a scheduled US military strike on Iran at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

The pause triggered a quick risk-on rotation across markets. Nasdaq 100 futures, the S&P 500, and spot gold all moved higher in the minutes after the post went live on Truth Social.

Gulf Leaders Push for a Nuclear Deal

Trump wrote that the Emir of Qatar, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed asked him to delay the strike to allow space for negotiations. He said any deal must rule out a nuclear-armed Iran.

Trump also said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Daniel Caine would keep US forces ready for a full assault if talks collapse.

The reversal capped a tense weekend. Bitcoin slid below $77,000 on Sunday after Trump warned Iran the “clock is ticking,” and roughly $580 million in long positions were liquidated within four hours.

Risk Assets Lift Off

BTC reclaimed above $77,000, up 0.8% in the prior hour, even as it remained about 2% lower over 24 hours. The S&P 500 index ticked up 0.10% to top 7,400, while the Nasdaq 100 popped from 28,740 to 28,980 in the same window.

Spot gold added 0.10% to $4,560, signaling that the relief move was broad rather than a single rotation into safety.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs had logged over $1 billion weekly outflow heading into the announcement, ending a six-week inflow streak as rate-cut expectations slipped.

A sustained pause in hostilities could shift that picture.

Crypto traders had spent recent sessions pricing in a hot-war scenario, and analysts had already drawn parallels with the early days of the Ukraine invasion, when BTC dropped before recovering.

The next test arrives if Iran formally responds to the framework outlined by Gulf mediators. Whether Tehran accepts the terms will determine whether this is the start of a durable risk-on shift or only a pause before the next escalation.

Volatility in the next 24 hours will hinge on each fresh Truth Social post and Tehran’s reply.