Soft Jobs Data KiIran Closes the Strait Again. Bitcoin Holds Its Ground.lls the Rate Hike Story. Crypto Bounces Back.
The weekend brought a significant escalation in the Middle East. U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes, and Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again, sending oil prices up over 4% on Monday morning. Markets repriced quickly, with traders now giving a nearly 70% probability to a Fed rate hike in September.
Despite all of that, Bitcoin opened Monday above $63,700 USD and is holding near $87,000 CAD, a level that would have seemed remarkable during the depths of June’s selloff. Ethereum opened at its highest level in over a month. The ability of both assets to hold ground during an active geopolitical escalation speaks to how much the structural bid has changed.
This week brings more catalysts. New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh delivers his first Congressional testimony Tuesday, and the June CPI report lands Wednesday. Both have the potential to move markets significantly in either direction.
RapidEX keeps you ready for whatever this week delivers, with fast funding, real human support, and 100+ Canadian locations.
Market Intelligence & Action
Weekly Snapshot (July 07 to 13, 2026)
A week defined by geopolitical whiplash. Bitcoin and Ethereum held modest gains despite a renewed Strait of Hormuz closure and escalating U.S.-Iran missile exchanges over the weekend. Gold and silver pulled back as a stronger U.S. dollar and rising rate hike expectations weighed on precious metals. Litecoin gave back most of last week’s gains after a sharp reversal.
| Asset | Week Open (CAD) | Current Level (CAD) | 7-Day Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC | $85,114 | $87,000 | +2.2% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | $2,397 | $2,445 | +2.0% |
| Litecoin (LTC) | $76.29 | $61.79 | -19.0% |
| USD Coin (USDC) | $1.38 | $1.38 | 0.0% |
| Gold (XAU/oz) | $5,753 | $5,533 | +3.8% |
| Silver (XAG.oz) | $86.38 | $80.40 | -6.9% |
This Week’s Updates
1. Macro: Strait Closes Again, Rate Hike Odds Jump to 70%
Over the weekend, U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone strikes across the Gulf, with Tehran declaring the Strait of Hormuz closed and targeting U.S. military facilities in the region. Oil jumped over 4% on Monday morning, reigniting inflation concerns that had just started to ease following the soft jobs report two weeks ago. Markets are now pricing a nearly 70% probability of a Fed rate hike in September. New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh delivers his first Congressional testimony Tuesday, and June CPI lands Wednesday, making this one of the most data-heavy weeks of the summer.
Pro Tip: CPI weeks create short-term volatility but rarely change the longer-term trend. Investors who avoid reacting to individual data releases and stay focused on their position tend to come out ahead.
2. Industry News: Bitcoin Holds as Crypto Shows Renewed Resilience
The notable story this week is not just what crypto did but what it did not do. Despite a weekend of military strikes, a closed Strait of Hormuz, and oil spiking 4%, Bitcoin opened Monday above $63,700 USD and Ethereum hit its highest opening price in over a month. Gold and silver, which might be expected to benefit from geopolitical stress, actually fell as a stronger dollar and higher rate expectations weighed on precious metals. That divergence is meaningful. Bitcoin is increasingly behaving as its own asset class rather than simply tracking risk-on or risk-off flows.
Market Insight: Bitcoin holding near $87,000 CAD while gold drops and oil spikes is not the behaviour of a purely speculative asset. It is the behaviour of something that is increasingly being held as a distinct store of value by a growing base of committed holders.
Call for an OTC quote: 1-855-820-2274
The RapidEX Knowledge Centre
What Is a Crypto Market Cycle and Where Are We Now?
If you have followed Bitcoin for any length of time, you have probably noticed that prices do not move randomly. They tend to follow a recognizable pattern. Understanding that pattern is one of the most useful things a long-term investor can do.
The Four Phases. Crypto markets generally move through four stages: accumulation (prices are low, informed buyers build positions quietly), uptrend (prices rise as more investors take notice), distribution (prices peak and early holders begin selling), and downtrend (prices fall, sentiment turns negative). The cycle then repeats. Each phase can last months or even years.
Why It Matters. Most investors who lose money in crypto do so by buying during the distribution phase when headlines are most exciting, then selling during the downtrend when fear is highest. Understanding cycles helps you recognize where sentiment is, relative to where price actually is.
Where Are We Now? Bitcoin hit an all-time high of over $126,000 USD in October 2025, then spent the first half of 2026 in a significant correction, touching lows near $58,000 USD in late June. On-chain data has shown long-term holders accumulating through that dip rather than selling. That pattern is consistent with an accumulation phase setting the foundation for the next leg higher.
The RapidEX View: Nobody can call the exact bottom or top of a cycle. But investors who understand the pattern are less likely to panic during the downtrend and more likely to be positioned when the next uptrend begins. That is the advantage consistent participation gives you.
Local Presence You Can Trust
RapidEX isn’t just a website—we are a local Alberta business with a massive physical footprint and 30+ years of experience.
- 100+ Locations: Find a kiosk near you.
- High Limits: Move up to $1MM CAD in person.
- Support: Real people, real help—right here in Canada.
