Bitcoin tops $74,000 as ether, sol, ada gains as much as 6% in Monday surge

Majors posted broad gains on Monday as oil eased from highs, two tankers sailed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the war began, and Trump said the U.S. was talking to Iran. What to know : Bitcoin broke decisively above the $74,000 level after multiple failed attempts, leading a broad crypto rally that saw ether, solana and other major tokens post their strongest weekly gains since before the war. Signs of de-escalation in the Strait of Hormuz, including limited reopening to commercial shipping and softer rhetoric from Iran, eased oil prices and weakened the dollar, improving liquidity conditions for risk assets like cryptocurrencies. With risk appetite returning and altcoins outperforming bitcoin, investors are now focused on the Federal Reserve's March 17-18 meeting, where the dot plot and Chair Jerome Powell's comments will shape expectations for potential rate cuts.