Bitcoin Falls Toward $81,000 Amid Middle East Tensions and US Government Shutdown

Bitcoin fell toward $81,000 on Jan. 31 as escalating Middle East tensions and a partial US government shutdown dented risk appetite, BlockBeats reports. Market participants cited an explosion at Iran's Abbas port on the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil, as a key factor. Traders noted that thin weekend liquidity amplified the decline, while Congress's failure to pass a full-year appropriations bill before the deadline triggered a brief federal shutdown that added to macroeconomic concerns.