Bitcoin opened trading on Monday at $77,414.91, marking its lowest opening price since the beginning of the month. By 7:26 a.m. Eastern Time, Bitcoin had fallen further to $76,803.25.

Ethereum also opened at $2,129.87, its lowest opening level since April 7. The cryptocurrency extended losses during morning trading, dropping to $2,113.92 by 7:26 a.m. Eastern Time.

Investors appeared to adopt a cautious stance this morning following the US president’s post on Truth Social and the drone attacks in the Middle East over the weekend, which signaled to markets that tensions between the United States and Iran are escalating despite the ceasefire that has been in place for weeks.

US stock futures opened lower, while oil prices and US Treasury yields moved higher, as precious metals declined.

Current Bitcoin and Ethereum prices

Bitcoin

Bitcoin fell 0.9% this morning compared to Sunday’s opening price. Below is a comparison of the opening price versus previous periods:

Before a week: down 5.8%

Before a month: up 0.4%

Before a year: down 25%

Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $126,198.07 on October 6, 2025, while its all-time low was $0.04865 on July 14, 2010.

Ethereum

Ethereum declined 2.3% this morning compared to Sunday’s opening price. Below is the opening price performance versus previous periods:

Before a week: down 10.1%

Before a month: down 12%

Before a year: down 14%

Ethereum recorded an all-time high of $4,953.73 on August 24, 2025, while its all-time low stood at $0.4209 on October 21, 2015.

How does Bitcoin work?

Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, meaning a fully digital currency that operates without government or banking oversight. Unlike the US dollar, euro, or Canadian dollar — which have physical paper versions issued by governments — Bitcoin exists only in digital form.

Bitcoin relies on a public digital ledger used to verify and record transactions and prove ownership of coins, known as the blockchain. This system is distributed globally across a large network of servers, making it decentralized.

Decentralization is a core element of cryptocurrencies, as it allows direct peer-to-peer payments without banking intermediaries, while also improving security and reducing the risk of manipulation.

How to buy Bitcoin in 2026

There are several ways to buy Bitcoin, including through cryptocurrency exchanges, fintech applications, or traditional brokerage firms that offer investment in spot Bitcoin ETFs.

Before making any purchase, however, investors should define their objective: whether they want to own actual Bitcoin with private key control, or simply gain exposure to price movements through a more regulated and familiar investment structure.

Regardless of the chosen method, it is important to remember that Bitcoin remains a high-risk and highly volatile asset compared to many other investments. Prices can rise or fall rapidly, sometimes without warning, so volatility should always be considered a core part of cryptocurrency investing.

Oil prices extended gains on Monday, driven by increasingly bleak prospects for peace in the Middle East after an attack targeted a nuclear power facility in the United Arab Emirates.

Brent crude futures rose by 86 cents, or 0.79%, to $110.12 per barrel by 10:02 GMT, after touching $112 earlier in the session, the highest level since May 5.

US West Texas Intermediate crude also climbed 89 cents, or 0.84%, to $106.31 per barrel, after reaching its highest level since April 30 at $108.70. The front-month June contract expires on Tuesday.

Both benchmarks gained more than 7% last week as hopes for a peace agreement to end attacks and ship seizures around the Strait of Hormuz trade route continued to fade.

Tamas Varga, oil analyst at PVM, said: “There are one billion barrels of oil trapped behind the Strait, while WTI’s $10 rally last week was also supported by escalating hostile rhetoric between the United States and Iran, alongside continued attacks on oil producers and commercial shipping in the region.”

A Pakistani source told Reuters that Pakistan had shared a revised Iranian proposal with the United States aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, though peace efforts still appear stalled.

Meanwhile, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday that commercial oil inventories are declining rapidly, with only a few weeks of supply remaining.

Drone attacks targeting the UAE and Saudi Arabia, in addition to escalating rhetoric between the United States and Iran, have intensified fears of a broader regional conflict.

Saudi Arabia announced that it intercepted three drones entering from Iraqi airspace, warning that it would take all necessary operational measures in response to any attempt to threaten its sovereignty and security.

At the same time, UAE officials said they are investigating the source of the attack on the Barakah nuclear facility, stressing that the UAE reserves the right to respond to what it described as “terrorist attacks.”

US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with national security advisers on Tuesday to discuss military response options, according to Axios, citing US officials.

In a related development, the Trump administration on Saturday allowed a sanctions waiver to expire that had permitted countries, including India, to purchase Russian seaborne oil, after extending it for only one additional month.

Talks held last week between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping also ended without any indication from China — the world’s largest oil importer — that it would help bring an end to the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Silver prices slipped to a two-week low in the European market on Monday, deepening losses for a third consecutive session, under pressure from rising dollar and oil prices in global markets, amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran.

As inflationary pressures continue to build on Federal Reserve policymakers, expectations for at least one US interest rate hike this year have increased, with investors awaiting further economic data and Fed commentary.

Price Overview

• Silver prices today: Silver prices fell 2.75% to $73.87, the lowest level since May 6, from the opening level at $75.96, while recording an intraday high of $76.92.

• At Friday’s settlement, silver prices lost 9%, marking the second consecutive daily loss and the largest one-day decline since February 5, pressured by higher dollar and oil prices.

• Silver prices declined 5.5% last week, marking the third weekly loss within a month, due to rising inflationary pressures in the United States and higher US Treasury yields.

US Dollar

The dollar index rose 0.15% on Monday, extending gains for a sixth consecutive session and recording a six-week high, reflecting continued broad strength in the US currency against a basket of major and secondary currencies.

The dollar received additional support from US Treasury yields climbing to their highest levels in a year, as investors bet that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at least once this year.

Investors also continue buying the US dollar as a safe haven, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran pushed oil prices higher and reduced risk appetite amid a global bond selloff.

Barclays analysts said in a note: “Risk and bond market conditions appear to be deteriorating, while the environment remains supportive for further dollar gains this week.”

They added that signs pointing to a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz are creating additional upward pressure, noting that the dollar tends to rise between 0.5% and 1% for every 10% increase in oil prices.

Global Oil Prices

Global oil prices rose more than 2% on Monday, extending gains for a third consecutive day and recording the highest levels in two weeks, amid fears of renewed military confrontations between the United States and Iran and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz to international oil tankers.

Latest Developments in the Iran War

• US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Iran, stressing that “time is running out very quickly to reach a peace agreement, or there will be nothing left.”

• Trump is preparing to hold a decisive meeting in the White House Situation Room with national security leaders to discuss plans for resuming military strikes on Iranian energy facilities and infrastructure.

• Trump held a phone call lasting more than half an hour with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss options for returning to full-scale military operations.

• The UAE announced it is investigating the source of the drone attack, while Saudi Arabia intercepted three drones in Iraqi airspace.

• An Iranian official warned of “surprise scenarios” if the United States resumes military strikes against Tehran.

US Interest Rates

• Data released last week in the United States showed consumer prices in April rose at the fastest pace in three years, while producer prices recorded their strongest increase in four years, highlighting renewed inflationary pressure on Federal Reserve policymakers.

• According to the CME FedWatch tool, markets are currently pricing in a 45% probability that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December, up from just above 16% at the beginning of May.

• Last week, pricing for the probability of keeping US interest rates unchanged at the June meeting rose from 93% to 99%, while pricing for a 25 basis point rate cut fell from 7% to 1%.

• To reassess those expectations, investors are closely monitoring upcoming US economic data, in addition to the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting scheduled for release on Wednesday.

The US dollar weakened against a basket of major currencies on Monday, though it remained near last week’s highs, as renewed Middle East tensions pushed global bond yields higher, while continued weakness in the Japanese yen kept traders alert for possible intervention by Japanese authorities.

The euro rose 0.1% to $1.1635, while the British pound gained 0.2% to $1.3351.

The dollar index — which measures the US currency against a basket of six major currencies — edged slightly lower to 99.12 points, after recording its strongest weekly performance in three months last week.

Barclays analysts wrote in a note: “Risk and bond market conditions appear to be deteriorating, while the environment is becoming increasingly supportive for an extension of the dollar’s rally this week.”

They added that signs the Strait of Hormuz could remain closed for longer are creating additional upward pressure, noting that the dollar tends to rise between 0.5% and 1% for every 10% increase in oil prices.

Oil prices climbed on Monday, with Brent crude rising more than 1% to trade above $110 per barrel, after a nuclear energy facility in the UAE came under attack and efforts to end the US-Israeli war against Iran stalled.

Risk appetite was also hurt by a worsening global bond selloff, as higher energy prices fueled inflation concerns and strengthened expectations for further interest rate hikes by major central banks.

The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note climbed to 4.6310%, while the two-year Treasury yield reached 4.1020%, with both hovering near their highest levels since February 2025.

Michael Pfister, FX strategist at Commerzbank, said shifting interest rate expectations and the subsequent rise in bond yields were the key drivers behind the dollar’s relative resilience.

He added:

“Although market expectations toward the Federal Reserve shifted toward a more hawkish stance early on, investors had initially been reluctant to price in rate hikes. That changed last week, as Fed expectations experienced the biggest shift among G10 currencies.”

Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting and US PMI data due this week are expected to help clarify how concerned policymakers are about persistent inflation and whether economic activity momentum remains intact, according to Christopher Wong, FX strategist at OCBC Bank.

Markets are now pricing in more than a 50% probability that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by December, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Investors are also monitoring the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, where discussions are expected to focus on ways to permanently end the war in Iran.

In Asia, the Japanese yen traded at 158.9 per dollar, near its weakest levels since April 29, keeping investors on alert for possible intervention by Japanese authorities.

Tokyo intervened several times in the currency market in late April and early May, helping the yen rebound roughly 3.5% in the following days, although the currency has already surrendered around 7% of those gains.

Meanwhile, China’s offshore yuan weakened to 6.808 per dollar. Meetings between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week produced no major breakthroughs, while data released on Monday showed Chinese economic growth lost momentum during April.