Bitcoin rose 0.5% to $81,368.8 by 02:32 ET (06:32 GMT), after earlier touching an over three-month peak of $81,718.9. The move came as Strategy, a top corporate holder of Bitcoin with 818,334 coins, said it was considering selling part of its hoard to meet dividend and debt obligations.<\/p>\n
Michael Saylor stated that the company would \u201cprobably sell some Bitcoin to fund a dividend just to inoculate the market,\u201d citing strong demand for Strategy\u2019s latest STRETCH preferred stock offering. Strategy has primarily financed its Bitcoin accumulation through debt and preferred share issuances, leaving it exposed to payment requirements on these instruments.<\/p>\n
Saylor added that any Bitcoin sales were expected to have a limited impact and that Strategy planned to repurchase a larger amount of Bitcoin than it sold. Nevertheless, this approach represents a significant departure from Saylor\u2019s earlier stance of never selling Bitcoin. The shift follows an outsized $14.47 billion operating loss in the first quarter, driven mainly by unrealized losses on the company\u2019s Bitcoin holdings.<\/p>\n
Market sentiment toward cryptocurrencies was also supported by developments in U.S.-Iran relations. U.S. President Donald Trump said the military would pause an operation aimed at escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran responded with military action against the campaign. Trump indicated that talks with Iran were making progress and that the pause was intended to potentially facilitate a broader agreement with Tehran.<\/p>\n
Iranian officials had earlier pointed to progress in Pakistan-brokered talks, boosting expectations of a de-escalation in Middle East tensions. These signals helped lift risk-driven assets, including cryptocurrencies, and contributed to a strong recovery in the crypto market over the past week.<\/p>\n
Ether, the world\u2019s second-largest cryptocurrency, slipped 0.4% to $2,369.43. XRP gained 1.3% to $1.4254. Among major altcoins, Solana rose 2.9%, Cardano advanced 3.5%, and BNB added 1.3%. In the memecoin segment, DOGE climbed 3.4%, while $TRUMP increased 2.8%.<\/p>\n
Why did Bitcoin trim its intraday gains on Wednesday?<\/strong> What change did Strategy signal in its Bitcoin strategy?<\/strong> How are U.S.-Iran tensions affecting crypto prices?<\/strong> How did major altcoins perform?<\/strong>
Bitcoin eased from its session high after Strategy, a major corporate holder, said it was considering selling part of its 818,334 Bitcoin holdings to fund dividend and debt payments.<\/p>\n
Strategy indicated it may sell some Bitcoin to meet obligations, a notable shift from Michael Saylor\u2019s previous stance of never selling Bitcoin, although he said the company aims to buy back more Bitcoin than it sells.<\/p>\n
Growing hopes for a de-escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, supported by comments from U.S. and Iranian officials about progress in talks, have improved risk sentiment and helped drive a recovery in cryptocurrencies.<\/p>\n
Ether fell 0.4% to $2,369.43, while XRP rose 1.3%. Solana gained 2.9%, Cardano 3.5%, BNB 1.3%, and memecoins such as DOGE and $TRUMP rose 3.4% and 2.8%, respectively.<\/p>\n