Oil and Gold Rise on Middle East Tensions as Bitcoin Holds Above $66,000

Crude oil and gold prices climbed amid renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with the Strait of Hormuz—which handles about one fifth of global oil transport—remaining a key focus as higher energy costs feed into inflation expectations, CoinEx Chief Analyst Jeff Ko said. Bitcoin, described as the world's most liquid continuously traded asset, became a primary channel for rapid derisking over the weekend but held relatively steady around $66,000, while Ethereum saw only a modest decline, suggesting the market is functioning as a liquidity outlet without structural imbalances. Traders are watching whether the conflict escalates and whether prolonged strength in energy and safe-haven assets turns short-term geopolitical risk premia into sustained macro pressure on risk assets, Ko noted.