U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Lift Bitcoin, Ether, XRP As Trump Claims Nuclear Dust

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies traded in a narrow, mixed range as markets leaned into a “risk-on mood” tied to U.S.-Iran peace-talk headlines, while traders watched whether that optimism would translate into sustained crypto buying.

“XRP leads bitcoin and ether on weekly gains, but muted volume keeps breakout in check Token outperforms bitcoin and ether over seven days, though thinning participation signals consolidation rather than conviction”

@coindesk

CoinDesk said bitcoin was “trading roughly flat near $74,700” after a strong week, with Asian morning hours showing bitcoin “around $74,700” and down “0.4% over 24 hours” but still up “3.5% on the week.”

@coindesk

Ether “gave back 1.4% to $2,327” yet still led the majors on the weekly tape at “6%,” while XRP held “$1.43 with a 6.4% weekly gain,” and solana ticked up “2.7% to $87.67.”

Benzinga similarly described leading cryptocurrencies as “held steady,” with Ethereum “consolidated around $2,300” and XRP and Dogecoin “moved higher,” while noting that “Over $440 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours.”

The same Benzinga report tied the broader tone to President Donald Trump’s claim about Iran, saying Trump said Iran agreed to transfer its “nuclear dust” to the U.S., and it also referenced a separate “10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.”

Even as equities extended their record run, crypto’s direction looked cautious: CoinDesk pointed to a “record-setting global equity rally” pausing ahead of a “next week’s U.S.-Iran cease-fire expiry,” while Benzinga said the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closed at record highs.

In that environment, traders focused on whether positioning and liquidity could turn a flat tape into a breakout rather than a consolidation.

While bitcoin’s price action looked restrained, XRP stood out as the top weekly performer among major cryptocurrencies, but CoinDesk’s market read emphasized that the move lacked the volume needed to confirm a decisive breakout.

CoinDesk said “XRP leads bitcoin and ether on weekly gains, but muted volume keeps breakout in check,” adding that XRP “rising about 6.4 percent” outpaced “bitcoin, ether and BNB.”

Benzinga

The same report described XRP “grinding higher toward $1.44 in a steady, low-volatility move,” framing the pattern as “accumulation” while warning that it “lacks the strong volume typically seen in a confirmed breakout.”

Traders were watching specific levels: CoinDesk said “resistance at $1.44 and support near $1.40,” and it cautioned that “subdued volume increasing the risk of a pullback if broader market momentum weakens.”

The technical framing was tied to participation: CoinDesk reported “Volume remains subdued at roughly 70% of its weekly average,” which “limits conviction behind the move.”

It also described the structure as constructive but not conclusive, saying “The structure shows higher lows, but resistance continues to absorb upside near $1.44.”

In parallel, CoinDesk’s other crypto market report put XRP at “$1.43 with a 6.4% weekly gain,” reinforcing that XRP’s strength was part of the same broader tape.

Beyond spot price, CoinDesk highlighted derivatives positioning as a key driver of how quickly bitcoin could move if the market’s short exposure unwinds.

“Bitcoin bulls target $125,000 as U”

CoinDesk

The CoinDesk report said “Deeply negative bitcoin perpetual funding rates show the market is heavily short,” and it linked that condition to the possibility of a “forced unwind” if prices rise.

It also framed the setup as a timing question around geopolitics, noting that the pause in bitcoin’s flat action came as “a 10-day rally in global equities paused ahead of next week’s U.S.-Iran ceasefire expiry.”

The report gave a concrete reference point for the funding regime, stating that funding rates “reaching levels last seen in 2023” had turned “deeply negative in recent sessions.”

It explained the mechanism directly, saying “Funding is the periodic payment perpetual futures traders exchange with each other to keep contract prices aligned with spot,” and it added that “When it goes negative, shorts are paying longs.”

ZeroStack’s Daniel Reis-Faria, CEO of ZeroStack, was quoted with a direct warning about liquidation dynamics: “Funding rates this negative tell you the market is heavily short,” and he added that “If Bitcoin continues to move higher despite that, a lot of those positions could get liquidated, and the move can accelerate quickly.”

Reis-Faria’s upside target was tied to the squeeze scenario, with CoinDesk reporting he “expects bitcoin could reach $125,000 in the next 30 to 60 days.”

Other market coverage focused less on the funding-rate mechanism and more on immediate levels, liquidation flows, and broader risk sentiment.

Benzinga reported that “Leading cryptocurrencies held steady, while stocks closed at new records on Thursday,” and it quantified crypto stress by saying “Over $440 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours, nearly evenly split between long positions and short positions, according to Coinglass data.”

@coindesk

It also noted that “Open interest in Bitcoin futures fell 0.70% over the last 24 hours,” and it described “derivative sentiment on Binance” as “bearish for the apex cryptocurrency.”

Benzinga then brought in two named voices: Michaël van de Poppe, who anticipated “good times ahead for risk-on assets,” and Rekt Capital, who highlighted a specific resistance level for bitcoin.

Van de Poppe’s projection was quoted as “I think we’re in for a good Q2, given the data, Bitcoin to $85,000-$88,000,” while Rekt Capital said, “If Bitcoin wants to close above the weekly resistance [$72810, blue], then price would need to hold the blue level as support on any upcoming dip.”

CoinDesk’s second report also referenced a technical timing element, saying bitcoin’s flat action was occurring as “a record-setting global equity rally pauses ahead of next week's U.S.-Iran cease-fire deadline,” while still emphasizing the derivatives setup beneath the surface.

CoinDesk’s XRP-focused piece similarly framed the market as cautious, stating that XRP “still hasn’t done enough to break out” and that “The move higher looks steady rather than aggressive.”

Across the sources, the next set of market checkpoints centers on whether bitcoin’s short-heavy positioning translates into a sustained rally and whether XRP can clear its nearby resistance with enough participation.

“Leading cryptocurrencies held steady, while stocks closed at new records on Thursday as President Donald Trump said Iran agreed to transfer its "nuclear dust" to the U”

Benzinga

CoinDesk’s XRP report said “$1.44 remains the key resistance,” and it added that “A clean break is needed to validate upside continuation,” while also warning that “Continued low volume risks a pullback.”

Benzinga

It specified that “$1.40 acts as near-term support,” and it tied the risk to broader momentum by saying holding above it “keeps the structure intact.”

For bitcoin, CoinDesk’s derivatives-focused report framed the key variable as whether the “U.S.-Iran ceasefire extension holds past next week,” because it said the squeeze-versus-drawdown dynamic “hinging on whether the U.S.-Iran cease-fire is extended.”

It also gave a time window for the upside scenario, reporting that Reis-Faria “expects bitcoin could reach $125,000 in the next 30 to 60 days if the short base gets squeezed out.”

CoinDesk’s market write-up also pointed to a longer-term indicator that had not yet fired, stating “A bitcoin indicator based on key moving averages has accurately marked every bear market bottom since 2015” and that “That signal hasn't fired yet,” with the “What to know” section adding “That signal has not occurred as of April 17.”

Benzinga’s outlook, meanwhile, offered a near-term range and a resistance condition, with van de Poppe projecting “Bitcoin to $85,000-$88,000” and Rekt Capital requiring bitcoin to “close above the weekly resistance [$72810, blue].”