Bitcoin Holds Steady Near $66,000 as Washington Weighs Crypto Rules and Middle East Tensions Mount

Bitcoin held close to the $66,000 area on a recent Wednesday, finishing down less than 1% as lawmakers in Washington advanced tighter crypto rules. Ethereum also posted a small move, while XRP and Dogecoin each slipped by fractions of a percent. Traders cited a pause in risk-taking as fresh Middle East concerns weighed on sentiment. Bitcoin traded around $65,933 after testing $67,000 earlier, while Ethereum lingered near $1,931 within a $1,900 to $1,950 range. XRP was near $1.13 and Dogecoin under $0. Bitcoin’s market cap was about $2.26 trillion, up 0.82%, though more than $180 million in positions were wiped out in a day, with open interest down 2.18%. The revised Senate “Clarity Act” adds ethics provisions restricting investments by the president and federal officials, adding uncertainty to oversight debates. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Iran’s stance on the Strait of Hormuz, lifting oil prices and dragging major US indexes slightly. In crypto, Binance users increased long exposure despite Fear and Greed signaling fear.