Middle East conflict escalation triggers global market turmoil: Crypto Assets under pressure fall, Options market risk aversion sentiment surges.

In the early hours of June 13 local time, the Israel Defense Forces launched a preemptive airstrike operation, precisely targeting over a dozen nuclear-related sites including the Iranian Natanz uranium enrichment facility, resulting in the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Hossein Salami.

This move directly triggered a surge in global risk aversion, with Brent crude oil prices soaring by 8.09% to $74.97 per barrel, and WTI crude oil rising by 9.2%, marking the largest single-day increase since 2025. Spot gold has exceeded $3410 per ounce, reaching a new high in 5 months.

The Crypto Assets market is also widely affected, with Bitcoin (BTC) falling by about 3%, Ethereum (ETH) extending its decline to 9%, and altcoins such as Solana and ADA generally dropping more than 10%.

It is worth noting that the escalation of geopolitical risks is directly reflected in the Options market. According to QCP data, the premium for front-end BTC put Options surged by 5 volatility points, reaching a nearly three-month high, reflecting the strong demand for downside protection in the market.

At the same time, this Friday marks a key Options expiration day for the Crypto Assets market, with 28,000 BTC Options (notional value of $2.93 billion) and 244,000 ETH Options (notional value of $620 million) set to expire, triggering over $1 billion in long liquidations.

However, Bitcoin quickly showed resilience around $103,000 and did not fall below the key support level, which corresponds with DeFi Development Corp's announcement of a $5 billion equity financing to purchase Solana, indicating institutional confidence in the long-term prospects of mainstream Crypto Assets.

Currently, the global market focus is shifting towards Iran's retaliatory actions. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has vowed to deliver a "devastating counterattack," Hezbollah has entered a state of readiness, and the risk of blocking the Strait of Hormuz is increasing. Analysts indicate that if the conflict continues to escalate, crude oil prices could soar to $120 per barrel, and global GDP growth may be adjusted downwards by 0.5 percentage points.

The cryptocurrency market will continue to be dominated by geopolitical factors in the short term, but the long-term trend still depends on the Federal Reserve's policy shift and the flow of institutional funds. Investors need to be wary of the frequent occurrence of black swan events while paying attention to the strategic layout of institutional investors, as these signals may become key turning points for the market.

#中东冲突 # Crypto Assets #期权市场 # geopolitical