BTC holds near $69K as Iran Strait talks stall; spot ETF inflows support

Bitcoin (BTC) is holding around $69,000 as geopolitical risk tied to Iran keeps traders cautious. BTC briefly pushed above $70,000, but momentum faded, while the $65,000 area remains a key support zone. U.S. President Trump warned of severe consequences if an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not reached by Tuesday 20:00 ET. Iran rejected a 45-day ceasefire, instead calling for a permanent end to hostilities and sanctions removal—an outlook that can keep oil prices elevated and sustain inflation and Fed-rate expectations for longer. Macro pressure is mixed for crypto. Gold has fallen more than 10% as rate-cut expectations are trimmed, which has not prevented BTC from showing relative resilience. A major support factor is spot Bitcoin ETF demand: after four straight months of outflows, March saw about $1.2B in net inflows, and April extended the trend with a single-day inflow of $471.3M (the largest since February). Flows help keep BTC bid, but resistance near $76,000 is still capping upside. Technicals are mixed-to-bullish. On the 4-hour chart, BTC is defending $65,000; RSI is 61 and MACD is above zero, suggesting improving upside bias. Traders are watching $69,000, then $74,000; a break higher could bring a retest of $76,000. Failure to reclaim these levels would likely increase odds of a move back toward $65,000. For a sustained move beyond resistance, the market likely needs a clear catalyst, such as a confirmed U.S.–Iran ceasefire.
Neutral
BTC faces a two-sided setup. Geopolitical escalation around Iran and uncertainty over Strait of Hormuz talks can keep oil and inflation expectations elevated, which may limit risk appetite and cap upside near resistance. However, spot Bitcoin ETF inflows are currently providing a concrete bid: March reversed outflows with large net inflows, and April saw exceptionally strong single-day inflows. Technically, BTC is holding the $65,000 support with improving momentum signals (RSI/MACD), but the market still needs a clear catalyst to break above resistance around $76,000 and beyond. Short term, traders may range between $69,000 and $65,000 unless negotiations progress; long term, sustained ETF demand could support dips, while macro rates remain the key variable that determines whether bulls can extend the trend.