$BTC and the rest of the crypto market tumbled on Friday morning after Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Iran, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Bitcoin is down 2% in the last 24 hours, according to Binance, falling from $107,000 to a low of $103,000 before rebounding slightly. The total market cap of the crypto market is down 3%, with Ethereum and Solana down 7% and Dogecoin down 6%.
he threat of war between Israel and Iran has triggered investors to flee cryptocurrencies because they are volatile and considered risky assets in times of uncertainty. The conflict between the two countries has also raised concerns that Iran may retaliate by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and facilitates the shipment of 20% of global oil shipments, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.