Bitcoin Takes a Hit in US and Iran Strike
Welcome to the latest edition of your favorite crypto weekly news round up, everyone.
Now, one minute you're celebrating stock market recoveries, and the next you're watching Bitcoin go bearish, and then you remember that the US and Iran conflict is still a thing. With Bitcoin slipping and missiles getting fired, the crypto world is caught right in the middle of everything.
Meanwhile, Russia's getting serious about policing crypto, while Pakistan just did a complete 180 after eight full years of saying NO to digital assets. Turns out all it takes is a Trump family handshake and a Binance deal to flip the script.
Here are the highlights:
- Iran Accuses Trump of “Seven Lies” After Bitcoin and Stock Markets Surge
- Russia Introduces Bill To Criminalize Unlicensed Crypto Services
- Pakistan Lifts 8-Year Crypto Banking Ban Following Trump Family, Binance Deals
- Bitcoin Slips Below $74K as US Navy Strikes on Iranian Ship
Bitcoin Slips Below $74K as US Navy Strikes on Iranian Ship
Bitcoin changed hands near $73,996 during Monday’s Asian trading session, down 2.5% over the past 24 hours. The decline tracked a weekend escalation in the Gulf, where US forces boarded an Iranian vessel Sunday. Risk assets broadly weakened as Wednesday’s ceasefire deadline loomed, with fresh military friction eroding hopes for de-escalation. The US destroyer USS Spruance disabled the engine room of the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska after six hours of unheeded stop orders. Tehran’s joint military command labeled the boarding unlawful and pledged a direct response against US naval assets.
Russia Introduces Bill To Criminalize Unlicensed Crypto Services
Russia's State Duma received a draft law on Friday that would make operating an unlicensed crypto service a criminal offense. The bill targets any individual or entity organizing the circulation of digital currencies without prior approval from the Bank of Russia. Unregistered operators could face fines of up to $4,000 and prison sentences of up to four years. Those penalties apply to individuals acting alone. Members of an organized group face harsher consequences. The bill sets out sentences of up to seven years in prison or compulsory labor of up to five years for group offenses.
Pakistan Lifts 8-Year Crypto Banking Ban Following Trump Family, Binance Deals
Eight years after banning all banks from providing crypto services, Pakistan has officially greenlit the practice—a move poised to quickly facilitate the adoption of digital assets in the world’s fifth-most populous country. In a letter issued this week, Pakistan’s central bank formally rescinded its prior crypto restrictions, which were instituted in 2018. The new pro-crypto policy is in line with the nation’s Virtual Assets Act of 2026, a regulatory framework for the industry that was enacted last month.
Iran Accuses Trump of “Seven Lies” After Bitcoin and Stock Markets Surge
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused President Donald Trump of making “seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false.” The statement came hours after the S&P 500 posted its fastest recovery since 1982. Ghalibaf published the rebuke on X (Twitter) and Telegram late Friday, directly challenging Washington’s framing of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the broader ceasefire terms. The Iranian official outlined several specific objections. He rejected any suggestion that the US had gained leverage through its public statements, writing that Washington “did not win the war with these lies, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either.”
Other Highlights Worth Mentioning
April 2026 Becomes Worst Month for Crypto Hacks Since February 2025 – Be in Crypto
Elizabeth Warren Accuses SEC Chair Paul Atkins of Potentially Lying to Congress – Decrypt
French Police Rescue Mother and Child After $400K Crypto Ransom Kidnapping – Yahoo News
The U.S. government moves $606,000 in bitcoin linked to the 2016 Bitfinex hack to Coinbase – CoinDesk
COINIGY FACT OF THE DAY
On this day in 2024, the Bitcoin halving reshapes supply dynamics.
On April 20, 2024, Bitcoin executed one of the most important events in its monetary design—its fourth halving, triggered at block height 840,000. In that moment, the block reward paid to miners dropped from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, instantly cutting the rate of new Bitcoin issuance by 50%.
COINIGY MEME OF THE WEEK
