How Markets Are Reacting to the Middle East

The Breakdown

Blockworks

Investing, Business

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As tensions flare between Israel and Iran, NLW explores how markets—particularly Bitcoin—are reacting to escalating geopolitical risk. Despite missile strikes, assassination reports, and fears of oil supply shocks via the Strait of Hormuz, Bitcoin remains steady at $105K. NLW dives into whether this marks a new resilience or just a temporary lull. Plus, a deep dive into the rise of Bitcoin Treasury companies: Are they pioneering a new financial model—or setting up the next crash? Finally, updates on Solana ETF filings and rumors that Amazon and Walmart are eyeing stablecoins as the Genius Act nears a Senate vote. Brought to you by: Grayscale offers more than 20 different crypto investment products. Explore the full suite at grayscale.com. Invest in your share of the future. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal. To learn more, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Grayscale.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.grayscale.com//?utm_source=blockworks&utm_medium=paid-other&utm_campaign=brand&utm_id=&utm_term=&utm_content=audio-thebreakdown)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enjoying this content? SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast: https://pod.link/1438693620 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBreakdownBW Subscribe to the newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blockworks.co/newsletter/thebreakdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the discussion: https://discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8 Follow on Twitter: NLW: https://twitter.com/nlw Breakdown: https://twitter.com/BreakdownBW

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to The Breakdown with me, NLW.
0:09.3	It's a daily podcast on macro, Bitcoin, and the big-picture power shifts remaking our world.
0:18.3	What's going on, guys? It is Monday, June 16th, and today we are talking about Bitcoin's response
0:23.7	to the Middle East conflict, the latest in Bitcoin Treasury companies, and much, much more.
0:28.8	Before we get into that, however, if you are enjoying the breakdown, please go subscribe to it,
0:32.4	give it a rating, give it a review, or if you want to dive deeper into the conversation,
0:36.1	come join us on the Breakers Discord.
0:40.9	You can find a link in the show notes or go to bit.ly slash breakdown pod.
0:46.5	While all eyes have been on the Middle East, as the kinetic exchange between Israel and Iran ramps up, missiles continue to fly throughout the weekend with targets hit in both Tel Aviv and
0:51.2	Tehran. There were also reports of highly targeted drone assassinations
0:54.6	taking place at the top of the Iranian leadership structure. Israeli sources have said direct U.S.
0:59.4	assistance has been requested to bomb the underground Fordow uranium enrichment site,
1:03.7	and basically the conflict is escalating, and it's unclear which position the U.S. will ultimately
1:08.2	take. President Trump gave a range of statements over the weekend.
1:11.7	In a Sunday interview with ABC, he said it's possible we could get involved. However, he noted that
1:15.7	the U.S. is, quote, not at this moment involved. Trump added that he's open to having Vladimir Putin
1:20.2	mediate the conflict as a strategic partner of Iran. Reuters reported earlier in the weekend that the
1:25.0	administration had vetoed a plan to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah al-Kamini leading into the attacks. But that has been really big fog of war.
1:33.2	There's been conflicting reports around that. Speaking on Sunday afternoon as he departed for the
1:37.2	G7 summit in Canada, President Trump said, sometimes they have to fight it out, but we're going
1:41.6	to see what happens. I think there's a good chance there'll be a deal. Now, obviously, the impact on markets and Bitcoin is fairly low down
1:48.8	the list when it comes to the most important aspects of this conflict. But as we look at geopolitics
	...

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