April 18, 2026 – The global crypto market staged a strong rebound. After nearly half a year of consolidation, Bitcoin broke through the $78,000 mark on Friday, hitting a 10-week high and posting a weekly gain of 6%. Ethereum rose roughly 4.2% in tandem, trading at $2,451, with a cumulative seven-day increase of 8.58%.
Easing Middle East Tensions Fuel Risk Assets
The core driver behind the crypto rally is positive geopolitical progress. Iran announced it would fully open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels during the ceasefire, and Israel and Lebanon have also agreed to a 10-day truce. The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas traffic, and the previous effective blockade had raised concerns over energy supply disruptions. Following the news, global risk assets rallied across the board, with the S&P 500 closing above 7,100 for the first time.
The improving market sentiment was also reflected in sharp moves across futures markets. Over the past 24 hours, total liquidations in crypto futures reached approximately $826 million, with shorts accounting for about $660 million — the highest short squeeze in a single day in recent weeks.
Institutional Money Flows Back
On the policy front, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued new guidance on April 17, easing crypto asset self-custody rules and providing a clearer regulatory path for wallet products. The market generally believes this reduces regulatory risk for non-custodial wallet providers and could attract more capital into Bitcoin and the DeFi ecosystem.
In terms of ETF flows, institutional money is flowing back into crypto markets. On April 15, the 13 U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined net inflow of $186 million, with BlackRock's IBIT alone pulling in $292 million. Ethereum ETFs saw net inflows for the fifth consecutive trading day, adding $67.85 million. As of April 15, cumulative net inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs reached $57 billion, with total net assets rising to $97.6 billion, accounting for roughly 6.5% of Bitcoin's total market cap.
China: Regulatory Stance Unchanged
Meanwhile, China continues to maintain a strict regulatory stance on virtual currencies. On April 16,
Study Times
emphasized legally preventing and addressing virtual currency risks. The 2026 Supreme People's Court work report stated that "severe punishment will be given to crimes using virtual currencies as a medium for money laundering, capital flight, etc." The People's Bank of China and other authorities have also for the first time publicly characterized stablecoins, pointing out risks such as money laundering and fund-raising fraud, and reaffirming the continued prohibition of virtual currency activities.
Market Outlook
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin's weekly MACD has formed a bullish golden cross — a pattern that historically indicates a medium-term upward trend. However, analysts also warn that geopolitical negotiations remain uncertain. Iran has denied some of the U.S. statements, making Sunday's talks unpredictable, and short-term volatility risks should not be ignored. If upward momentum fails to sustain, recent dip-buyers may take profits, accelerating a pullback.
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