Bitcoin tops $78K after Trump extends Iran ceasefire

Bitcoin climbed above $78,000 on April 22, 2026, after President Donald Trump extended the U.S.-Iran ceasefire indefinitely. Bitstamp data showed the token peak at $78,446 around 1:15 a.m. EST, reversing losses recorded on April 20 and restoring bitcoin’s market capitalization to about $1.56 trillion while pushing the total crypto market to roughly $2.7 trillion.

The price rally erased losses from earlier in the week. Bitcoin logged weekly gains near 5.5% and had risen more than 15% since the start of April. The sudden uptick squeezed short positions, producing nearly $320 million in liquidations across exchanges.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote the pause aimed to give Iran’s fractured leadership time to “come up with a unified proposal,” and he added that the U.S. would maintain a blockade on Iranian ports. Iran’s U.N. ambassador reiterated that the port blockade violates the ceasefire agreement. Earlier this week, maritime risk firm Marisks said scammers posing as Iranian agents demanded payment in Bitcoin or USDt from ships in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Market participants were watching the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the status of the port blockade to gauge whether Tehran would return to talks. Reports of an alleged aggressive maneuver by vessels identified as IRGC fast-attack boats against a commercial container ship raised concerns that military commanders might be acting independently of civilian leaders.

The political split in Iran has highlighted differing approaches. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has pushed for a diplomatic route to ease economic pressure, while IRGC Major General Ahmad Vahidi favors applying military pressure to extract concessions. Analysts have noted that the rivalry could make it harder for Tehran to present a single negotiating position.

Crypto altcoins also gained on the risk-on sentiment: Ethereum rose about 3%, Monero added roughly 7.8% and Bitcoin Cash climbed about 5.5%. Asian equity markets recorded modest gains following the ceasefire announcement.

The ceasefire extension did not immediately change conditions on the ground, but markets reacted as traders adjusted positions. The price surge and the resulting short squeezes highlighted how quickly crypto markets respond to geopolitical headlines. Bitcoin has shown volatility in recent weeks, moving with news about ceasefires, sanctions and maritime incidents, while the broader crypto market has seen renewed inflows during April.