Crypto Major Prices Decline Amid Rising Middle East Conflict Concerns

Cryptocurrency markets declined on Thursday as the U.S. dollar strengthened amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

XRP, Cardano's ADA, and Solana's SOL fell over 1% in 24 hours.
Dogecoin remained flat but dropped over 10% for the week, erasing its June gains.
Ether lost 0.7%, reversing earlier weekly gains.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. attracted over $389 million in inflows on Wednesday, while spot Ether ETFs saw $19 million in positive flows.

Concerns about a potential U.S. strike on Iran and a persistent inflation outlook from the Federal Reserve have unsettled investors, impacting equities and crypto assets.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that tariffs and global conflicts complicate inflation control.
The Fed maintained steady rates but emphasized the need for more data before potential cuts.

Altcoins, seen as higher-risk investments, are often the first to decline during macroeconomic stress. Bitcoin remains rangebound, up 13% year-to-date due to ETF inflows and dollar weakness, but has not decisively acted as a safe haven or risk asset this week.

Analyst Alex Kuptsikevich remarked that Bitcoin is caught between two dynamics, neither responding to increased risk appetite nor surging like gold amidst conflict.