The US Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 4.25–4.50%, warning that persistent inflation and incoming tariff hikes would keep borrowing costs elevated longer than anticipated. Although policymakers still pencilled in two rate cuts for later this year, they slowed the projected pace after tariff-driven price pressures and a softer growth outlook. That balanced stance helped steady risk assets into month-end. 

Earlier in the month, U.S. and China negotiators agreed on a framework to revive their 2023 trade truce on June 10, yet key export curbs on military-grade rare-earth magnets remain unresolved and could reignite volatility. At the same time, President Trump delayed a threatened 50% tariff on EU imports, moving the original July 9 implementation to late May—boosting European markets and tempering dollar strength. Meanwhile, China’s official manufacturing PMI held at 49.7 in June for a third consecutive month below the 50-point growth threshold, though new domestic orders ticked up to 50.2, underscoring mixed economic signals that kept investors cautious. 

Geopolitical risk surged on June 22 when U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s underground nuclear sites escalated broader Israel–Iran hostilities. That shock sent Bitcoin briefly below $100,000 and triggered roughly $595 million in long-position liquidations before markets snapped back, reminding everyone how episodic conflicts can prompt sharp but short-lived moves across both traditional and digital assets. 

BITCOIN (BTC)

In early June, Bitcoin opened June at $104,621 trading in a narrow $104,900 to $106,800 range as markets awaited the Fed’s June 18 policy update. Mixed U.S. PMI readings and U.S. and China trade tensions kept buyers and sellers in check. By mid-month, a series of geopolitical shocks added volatility. On June 13, Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear and missile sites wiped out over $1.16 billion in leveraged positions and drove Bitcoin to an intraday low of $102,822. Iran’s missile response on June 23 briefly pushed the price below $100,000 before buyers stepped in and lifted it back above $102,400. 

Institutional demand proved a crucial backstop for Bitcoin amid June’s volatility. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs drew in $4.5 billion in net inflows over the month as investors treated the mid-month sell-off as a prime entry point. The highest daily inflow was almost $1 billion, showing growing confidence in regulated on-ramps. Bitcoin’s mining hash rate dipped roughly 8 percent during the turbulence but recovered swiftly in the following days. As June closed, Bitcoin settled at $107,521, it remained above its 50-day moving average near $106,000 and its 200-day average around $96,268. The 14-day RSI hovered around 54 and the MACD crossed into positive territory, suggesting the rebound could extend into July’s key events, including the delayed EU tariff deadline and the next FOMC meeting. 

Corporate treasuries have accelerated Bitcoin accumulation as part of broader balance-sheet diversification strategies, tapping innovative financing vehicles to deploy capital without diluting existing shareholders. On June 12, MicroStrategy unveiled a $1 billion equity raise dedicated entirely to BTC purchases, aiming to grow its treasury toward 200,000 coins. GameStop’s underwriters exercised a $450 million greenshoe option on June 9, optionally converting proceeds into Bitcoin. Meanwhile, Metaplanet Capital issued a $210 million zero-coupon bond that will deliver 10,000 BTC at maturity, and Strategy Group secured fresh funding to expand its holdings to roughly 592,100 BTC. 

ETHEREUM (ETH)

Ethereum started at $2,607.20 and traded between $2,582.25 and $2,652.42 while markets awaited the Fed’s June 18 update. When the S&P Global Composite PMI dipped to 52.8 on June 23 it signaled a slowdown in growth that kept price moves in check even as on-chain activity stayed robust. By June 11 ETH climbed to an intraday high of $2,877.92 before geopolitical news hit. On June 13 Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites forced about $595 million in long positions to liquidate. Ethereum then fell to $2,447.78, its weakest level since April, before buyers swooped in and stopped the slide. In the final week of June daily active addresses averaged about 430,000 and more than 629,000 addresses were active on June 25. That same day the chain processed roughly 1.75 million transactions. During the week of June 9 nearly $1.93 billion in stablecoins flowed into DeFi, showing liquidity held up despite bouts of selling. 

Big institutions also made decisive shifts toward Ethereum in June. ETH products drew in $1.16 billion in net inflows for the month and showed growing appetite as investors chased upside in a market where Bitcoin sits near its all-time high. On June 18 BlackRock rotated roughly 5,362 BTC, about $561 million, from its spot Bitcoin ETF into Ethereum vehicles, one of the year’s largest single-day moves. At the same time Galaxy Digital pulled more than $200 million of ETH off exchanges, reflecting confidence in staking and DeFi. These actions highlight Ethereum’s higher risk-reward profile after months of lagging performance. Institutions are tilting portfolios to capture potential gains in ETH’s rebound.