🛡️ Wars & Conflicts: Conflict Commodities Prices

Oil prices surged to a 12‑month high of $82.50 per barrel on Monday as U.S. forces intensified strikes on Iranian air defense sites, prompting fears of a broader Middle East flare‑up. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil flows, remains a critical chokepoint; any disruption could compress global supply curves, elevate energy costs, and amplify inflationary pressures. For crypto markets, heightened risk appetite often drives capital into digital assets as a hedge against fiat volatility, yet increased oil prices can strain corporate earnings, tightening liquidity and potentially curbing institutional inflows into crypto. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury has signaled a readiness to impose secondary sanctions on entities facilitating Iranian oil transactions, tightening regulatory oversight on crypto‑related financial flows in the region. This could compel exchanges and payment processors to enhance compliance, potentially reducing cross‑border liquidity for tokens linked to Middle Eastern markets. Global equities have dipped 0.