Cryptocurrency News: Tuesday, 4th August 2026 – Bitcoin Struggles for $63,000 Amid De-escalation in Iran and Trust Crisis in Hardware Wallets
The cryptocurrency market greets Tuesday, 4th August 2026, in a state of fragile equilibrium. Bitcoin is fluctuating in the range of $62,500 to $63,500; even the news of the United States pausing planned strikes on Iran was insufficient to provide sustained momentum to prices. Investor sentiment is being pressured by the ongoing incident with Coldcard hardware wallets for the fifth consecutive day, diminishing prospects for the passage of a key U.S. digital assets regulation bill, and a cautious institutional capital stance. We examine the main cryptocurrency news, current quotes for the top 10 digital assets, and key events that will shape market dynamics this week.
Key Morning Updates for Tuesday: Essential Facts
- Bitcoin is trading near $63,000; it opened on Monday at $63,497 but fell to $62,650 by midday.
- The combined market capitalisation of the cryptocurrency market is around $2.25 trillion; Bitcoin dominance is around 56%, while Ethereum accounts for approximately 10%.
- The U.S. has announced a pause in its planned airstrikes on Iran — geopolitical de-escalation that the market has reacted to with restraint.
- The Coldcard hardware wallet exploit is ongoing for the fifth day: approximately 1,367 BTC has been stolen.
- Cardano has emerged as the top asset of the week in the top 100, with an increase of 11.5%.
- The Fear and Greed Index remains in the 'fear' zone, hovering around 28 points.
Bitcoin: The $62,500–63,500 Range and Monthly Closing Bet
The leading cryptocurrency continues to consolidate within a narrow corridor formed after the Federal Reserve's 'hawkish' pause last week. Buyers are actively purchasing dips around $62,500; however, this is insufficient for reversing the downtrend that has been in place since the October peak of $126,198. Year-to-date, BTC has lost approximately 28%, with the asset's market capitalisation holding steady around $1.26 trillion.
Analysts at 10x Research highlight a significant point: a monthly close above $63,000 would technically confirm the formation of a bear market bottom. On-chain data indicates a gradual accumulation of positions by long-term holders, although rising yields on U.S. Treasury bonds and outflows from ETFs limit recovery potential.
Key levels for the upcoming sessions:
- Support: $62,400–62,500, followed by the $61,750 zone and the June low of around $58,200.
- Resistance: $63,500, then $65,000–66,500.
- Strategic Level: $69,000 — the average cost basis of short-term holders and a condition for a sustainable reversal.
Geopolitics: De-escalation in Iran Fails to Catalyse Growth
The White House's announcement of a suspension of planned strikes on Iran has eased tensions in the Middle East, yet the response from digital assets has been surprisingly tepid: after a positive opening on Monday, prices reversed downward. This subdued movement suggests that geopolitics is currently just one of multiple pressure factors; equally significant for global investors are security issues regarding infrastructure and sluggish regulation in the U.S. Nevertheless, the reduction in military risks eliminates the prospect of a sudden flight to safety, thereby supporting the market in the medium term.
Coldcard Incident: A Blow to Trust in Self-Custody
The most significant safety story of the week revolves around the continuing exploit of Coldcard hardware wallets linked to a vulnerability in key generation. Recent estimates suggest that attackers have siphoned off around 1,367 BTC, with the attack now entering a third wave that targets addresses with small balances. Observers are calling this incident the largest failure of hardware wallets in Bitcoin's history, undermining trust in the concept of 'cold' storage as a whole.
Practical takeaways for investors include:
- Update device firmware immediately and follow manufacturer recommendations;
- Diversify storage across multiple types of wallets and multi-signature solutions;
- Bear in mind that losses in the industry from hacks exceeded $1 billion in the first half of 2026.
Institutional Capital: Strategy Sales and Record Profits for Tether
The corporate segment is sending mixed signals. Michael Saylor's Strategy has sold approximately $216 million worth of bitcoins — these funds are being used to replenish reserves for dividend obligations related to preferred securities. The sale from the largest corporate BTC holder has proven to be a psychologically sensitive event for the market, albeit it is primarily of a technical nature.
Simultaneously, Tether reported a net operating profit of around $1.5 billion for the second quarter, thanks to revenues from its U.S. Treasury bond portfolio, confirming the stability of the stablecoin business. The institutional infrastructure continues to expand: Morgan Stanley products linked to Ethereum and Solana, with staking capabilities, have begun trading on NYSE Arca, while spot XRP funds have seen inflows despite overall market caution.
Top-10 Cryptocurrencies: Current Quotes
The prices of leading digital assets as of the morning of 4th August 2026 (rounded):
- Bitcoin (BTC) — around $63,000; market capitalisation approximately $1.26 trillion.
- Ethereum (ETH) — around $1,850; market capitalisation approximately $230 billion.
- Tether (USDT) — $1.00; record quarterly profit reported by the issuer.
- XRP — around $1.07; consolidation supported by inflows into relevant ETFs.
- BNB — trading significantly below January levels amid overall market correction.
- Solana (SOL) — around $72.50; focus on the deployment of the Alpenglow update.
- USD Coin (USDC) — $1.00.
- TRON (TRX) — around $0.34; a key settlement network for stablecoins.
- Dogecoin (DOGE) — around $0.07; consolidation at a multi-month support level.
- Hyperliquid (HYPE) — around $52 following a correction amid outflows from relevant products.
Altcoins: Unexpected Leadership from Cardano
The major surprise of the week has been Cardano, which has gained approximately 11.5% over the past seven days (from $0.165 to $0.184), becoming the top asset in the top 100 according to aggregators. Prices have risen above the 50- and 100-day moving averages — the first significant technical positive after months of weakness; the project's market capitalisation has approached $7 billion.
Ethereum is holding around $1,850, remaining technically strong among major players thanks to four weeks of inflows into relevant funds. Solana is trading around $72.50: institutional demand is still selective (weekly outflows from SOL products totalled $17 million), but the fundamental picture is strengthening thanks to the Alpenglow update and the network's leadership in the tokenisation of real assets. XRP is consolidating around $1.07 with a neutral RSI: for a reversal, bulls need to reclaim the $1.09–1.10 level.
Regulation: CLARITY Act Chances Dwindle
The regulatory agenda has become the week's primary disappointment. The likelihood of a vote on the CLARITY Act before the U.S. Senate breaks for recess on 7th August has reportedly fallen to around 28% — lawmakers have missed a procedural window. Grayscale and other industry participants are publicly urging the Senate to hold a vote before the recess, warning that a delay until the autumn will prolong the period of uncertainty for the global digital asset market. On the international front, it is noteworthy that South Africa has introduced proposed rules for cross-border cryptocurrency transfers — another step towards establishing global industry standards.
Week Ahead Schedule: What’s Next
- 7th August — Start of the U.S. Senate recess (effective deadline for the CLARITY Act) and the release of U.S. employment data.
- 8th August — Expected downward adjustment of Bitcoin's network difficulty.
- 12th–13th August — Consumer (CPI) and producer (PPI) inflation reports in the U.S. — key to the Fed's September rate decision.
- August — Activation window for the BIP-110 soft fork on the Bitcoin network and continuing deployment of Alpenglow on Solana.
Investor Takeaways
The cryptocurrency market is undergoing a resilience test on 4th August 2026: geopolitical de-escalation is neutralised by a trust crisis regarding hardware wallets and regulatory pauses in Washington. Yet, sustained spot demand during dips, accumulation by long-term holders, and the rise of second-tier altcoins indicate that the worst-case scenarios are likely already priced in. Key markers for the days ahead include Bitcoin's ability to hold the $62,400–62,500 range, the fate of the CLARITY Act before 7th August, and the August inflation statistics from the U.S. A firm establishment of BTC above $63,500–65,000 would bolster arguments for the formation of a cycle bottom, while a loss of support could open the path to a retest of June's lows.
The material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personalised investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile asset class; evaluate risks independently when making investment decisions.
