Crypto markets experienced a surge in volatility on Monday, with bitcoin momentarily peaking at $79,480 before rapidly declining to $77,800. The fluctuation began around 23:00 UTC, coinciding with the opening of US equity and CME bitcoin futures, a period known for heightened market volatility. By 05:30 UTC, the price started to drop after failing to surpass the $80,000 threshold, resulting in a 2% decrease within an hour.
This downturn occurred as oil prices reached their highest level since the US-Iran ceasefire, with Brent crude trading at $107 per barrel following the cancellation of planned US-Iran talks. Meanwhile, Ether traded at approximately $2,320, having lost 2.2% since midnight UTC, underperforming bitcoin's 1.1% decline but faring better than several altcoins. The decline in crypto prices was also influenced by derivatives positioning and market sentiment.