Cryptocurrencies fall as markets monitor war developments

Cryptocurrencies 

Cryptocurrencies fell on Thursday as oil prices climbed again above $100 per barrel, while investors kept a close watch on developments in the Middle East conflict.

Bitcoin dropped 1.76% to $69,432 as of 09:53 a.m. Makkah time.

Meanwhile, Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, declined 2.17% to $2,029.83, while Ripple slipped about 1.34% to $1.3726.

Rachael Lucas, an analyst at BTC Markets, expects some profit-taking at the $70,000 level. “The macro backdrop remains unsettled, with oil volatility and lingering geopolitical uncertainty keeping risk sentiment cautious in the short term,” she noted.