Bitcoin recovered quickly after slipping below $77,000 at the start of the new business week, as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered another wave of caution across financial markets.
Despite the recovery, most major altcoins continued to struggle. Ethereum remained below $2,500, BNB traded under $700, and XRP fell further below the $1.40 level. Monero was a notable exception, posting one of the strongest gains among large-cap cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin Recovers From Weekend Pressure
Bitcoin entered the weekend following a sharp rally that had lifted its price by roughly $15,000 in just 48 hours. The rapid advance was followed by a correction, with BTC falling below $75,500.
The decline proved short-lived, however, as buyers returned to the market. Bitcoin recorded two significant upward moves during the previous business week, pushing its price to around $81,000 before extending gains toward $81,500.
The rally placed Bitcoin at its highest level in more than three months. Momentum weakened on Thursday, when the cryptocurrency faced a sharp rejection and retreated below $77,000.
Market sentiment was also influenced by expectations surrounding U.S. monetary policy following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh during a Friday speech at Jackson Hole. A more hawkish tone contributed to pressure on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin subsequently stabilized over the weekend and briefly climbed above $79,000. However, renewed attacks in the Middle East brought another bout of selling pressure, sending BTC back below $77,000 during Monday’s Asian and European trading hours.
The cryptocurrency has since recovered much of the decline and is again approaching the $79,000 mark.
Monero Leads the Major Gainers
Monero’s XMR emerged as the standout performer in Monday’s crypto market, climbing nearly 10% and moving above $520.
Uniswap’s UNI and Mantle’s MNT also posted notable gains, rising between 6% and 7%. Their strength stood in contrast to the broader weakness across much of the large-cap altcoin market.
Ethereum continued to trade just below $2,500, while BNB remained below $690 after failing to regain the level. XRP also remained under pressure and traded well below $1.40 despite significant ETF inflows recorded during the previous week.
Other major cryptocurrencies also posted losses. Solana, TRON, Hyperliquid and Dogecoin declined by as much as 2.5%.
Among the sharper decliners, RAIN fell approximately 8.6% to $0.016, while PUMP dropped about 9% to roughly $0.0044.
Crypto Market Cap Recovers
The broader cryptocurrency market also showed signs of recovery after Monday’s early weakness.
The combined market capitalization of all crypto assets had recovered more than $50 billion from the day’s low, bringing the total market value to approximately $2.7 trillion, according to CoinGecko.
Bitcoin’s ability to regain ground toward $79,000 will remain a key focus for traders, particularly as geopolitical developments and expectations for U.S. monetary policy continue to influence risk appetite across global markets.
