U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites trigger crypto market panic
Crypto plunges after U.S. strikes
In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out a “highly successful” airstrike on three key Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “We have completed our very successful attack on three nuclear sites in Iran... All aircraft have now exited Iranian airspace and are returning home safely.”
The United States has struck Iranian nuclear facilities. Source: Truth Social
Markets react sharply, crypto hit hard
The market response was immediate and severe, especially in the cryptocurrency sector. The strike coincided with the United States joining Israel’s nine-day bombing campaign against Iran, heightening fears of regional instability. For several days, the market had remained tense amid speculation that Washington would support Tel Aviv’s unilateral airstrikes on Iranian territory—again citing long-standing but unproven nuclear weapons concerns. The latest U.S. military action confirmed those fears.
Steep decline in the crypto market
According to CoinGecko, the crypto market suffered significant losses. Bitcoin fell below the $101,200 mark, XRP dropped 3.1% to $2.03, Ethereum declined to $2,240, and Solana sank to $132. These drops erased all the gains recorded earlier in the week and reversed the short-term bullish trend.
The broader crypto market contracted by 1.08% over the past 24 hours, bringing the total market capitalization down to $3.23 trillion. Bearish sentiment quickly spread across major exchanges, as traders rushed to reduce exposure amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.
Altcoin surges and outlook ahead
Despite geopolitical risks, some digital assets managed to post gains. According to Phoenix Group, on June 21, 2025, there were notable daily spikes in the value of select tokens. XEM (NEM) led the surge with an impressive 37.9% gain, followed by strong performances from FUN, Aergo, and Flock. These outliers stood in sharp contrast to the broader market selloff.
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As global tensions continue to mount, investors remain cautious, closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and their impact on financial markets—particularly the highly sensitive and volatile crypto sector.
Previously, we reported that Bybit users shifted to Bitcoin and Ethereum in June.
