Bitcoin fell 1.7% to $79,679.8 by 01:52 ET (05:52 GMT) on Friday. Even with the daily decline, it was still up 1.3% for the week, marking its sixth straight week of gains. The advance has been attributed in the report to strong institutional buying, bargain demand, and movement in the U.S. toward passing a key regulatory bill.<\/p>\n
The price was additionally pressured by news that Strategy Inc (NASDAQ: MSTR), a top corporate holder of Bitcoin, stated it could sell part of its holdings to fund dividend payments. The report noted that the scope and timing of any potential sales were not specified.<\/p>\n
Risk sentiment weakened across markets after the U.S. military said it had carried out strikes against Iran in response to attacks on three American warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation followed Iranian accusations earlier in the week that the U.S. had violated a ceasefire by attacking Iranian vessels and civilian areas.<\/p>\n
The latest hostilities arose after the U.S. launched an operation aimed at restoring commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which President Donald Trump said he paused days after its initiation. Iran criticized the operation and was described as seeking to formalize its control of the waterway. Thursday\u2019s military developments overshadowed earlier comments from both sides that negotiations were progressing, with reports indicating a potential deal was close.<\/p>\n
The report said Binance, the world\u2019s largest crypto exchange, received a letter from the U.S. Treasury demanding that it follow a monitoring program. This followed reports that about $1 billion in cryptocurrency passed through the platform to Iran-linked entities, according to The Information.<\/p>\n
The Treasury\u2019s demand referenced a monitoring program Binance had previously agreed to in 2023 after pleading guilty to sanctions and anti-money-laundering violations. The letter was connected to reports that more than $1 billion flowed through the exchange to Iran-linked groups in 2024 and 2025. BNB, Binance\u2019s native token, fell 1.7% on Friday.<\/p>\n
Broader cryptocurrency prices declined alongside Bitcoin as geopolitical tensions weighed on risk assets, and most altcoins were set for a muted week. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, dropped 2.6% to $2,275.58. XRP declined 2.3% to $1.3825, while Solana and Cardano fell 1.2% and 2.2%, respectively.<\/p>\n
Among memecoins, Dogecoin slid 4.9%, whereas $TRUMP edged up 0.9%.<\/p>\n
Why did Bitcoin fall on Friday?<\/strong> Is Bitcoin still up for the week?<\/strong> What news affected Binance and BNB?<\/strong> How did major altcoins perform?<\/strong>
Bitcoin declined 1.7% on Friday as escalating military tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz reduced appetite for risk-driven assets and weighed on broader crypto markets.<\/p>\n
Yes. Despite Friday\u2019s drop, Bitcoin was trading 1.3% higher for the week and was on track for its sixth consecutive week of gains.<\/p>\n
Binance received a letter from the U.S. Treasury demanding compliance with a monitoring program linked to sanctions and anti-money-laundering violations, following reports that about $1 billion in crypto flowed through the exchange to Iran-linked entities. BNB fell 1.7% on Friday after the report.<\/p>\n
Ether fell 2.6% to $2,275.58, XRP declined 2.3% to $1.3825, Solana was down 1.2%, and Cardano dropped 2.2%. Dogecoin fell 4.9%, while $TRUMP rose 0.9%.<\/p>\n