President Trump convened top national security advisors in the White House Situation Room Monday evening for a briefing on military options against Iran. The meeting came just hours after he announced a suspension of planned attacks.
The US and Iran have operated under a fragile ceasefire for roughly two months-a deal Trump himself described as on "life support." Washington has intensified embargo measures against Tehran, with the broader conflict now estimated to cost some $29 billion.
Iran continues to hold sway over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes daily.
If hostilities resume and Iran restricts the strait, analysts predict a sharp spike in oil prices.
Geopolitical instability also reverberates through crypto markets. Iran has previously used subsidized energy for Bitcoin mining to generate revenue outside US sanctions. A tighter embargo could boost crypto adoption in the region while pressuring Western exchanges to enforce stricter compliance. OFAC has already targeted crypto addresses linked to Iran, and renewed conflict would likely intensify that scrutiny.
During past Middle Eastern escalations, dollar-pegged stablecoins like USDT and USDC saw increased demand from users seeking a safe store of value.