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Crypto market jumps $150B amid oil swings: Short-term lift or sustained trend?

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Long oil orders highlight divergence between sentiment and positioning, building a bullish case for crypto.

Posted: March 11, 2026 Avatar

By: Ritika Gupta Journalist Edited By: Saman Waris Crypto market jumps $150B amid oil swings: Short-term lift or sustained trend?

Ritika Gupta Journalist Edited By: Saman Waris Posted: March 11, 2026 Share this article

Investor sentiment is all about one thing right now—oil.

With the Middle East conflict heating up, key oil ports are under attack. Notably, the Strait of Hormuz, which sees 20% of global oil flow, remains the main pressure point, making any disruption there a major market risk.

Against this backdrop, U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest post on Truth Social seemed aimed at shaking markets.

He warned that Iran would be hit “20 times harder” if they did anything to block oil flow through the Strait, sending both crypto and oil markets moving.

Source: Truth Social

On the numbers side, a near 3% move has pushed the TOTAL crypto market cap up by $150 billion in under 48 hours, in line with President Trump’s push to keep oil prices lower and boost investor confidence.

Meanwhile, Lookonchain flagged a wallet where profits are tightening on an earlier position, but it still added $2 million in oil long orders. In turn, showing a classic divergence between positioning and overall sentiment.

The bigger question now is how this plays out: With President Trump controlling the oil narrative, could sentiment start to outweigh positioning, setting up a classic long squeeze in oil that, in turn, sparks a rally in crypto?

Investors debate oil swings as crypto moves higher

The market reacted instantly to President Trump’s post.

In fact, analysts at the Kobeissi Letter called it a downside shock the market won’t forget, with oil dropping 30% from recent highs as President Trump stepped in to keep prices lower, sparking a solid crypto rally.

Bitcoin [BTC], for example, reclaimed the $70k mark, surging nearly 7% in under 48 hours alongside falling oil prices.

The move highlighted how quickly investors rotated back into crypto, underscoring the growing link between energy market swings and risk assets.

Source: X

However, the market isn’t fully bullish yet.

With the Middle East conflict showing no signs of easing, investors remain cautious. This raises the question of whether the recent drop in oil prices is just a temporary boost for crypto or the start of a sustained trend.

According to AMBCrypto, this is where President Trump’s move gets strategic. With mid-term elections approaching, oil prices have become a key focus, making these moves clearly about market sentiment.

Against this backdrop, rising long positions in the oil market create a high-risk setup. Any sudden shift in sentiment could spark a sharp long squeeze, spilling over into crypto and other risk assets.

Final Summary

President Trump’s intervention pushed oil volatility. In turn, triggering a $150 billion crypto market cap surge.
Rising long positions in oil create a high-risk setup, where a sudden shift in sentiment could spark a long squeeze.

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Ritika Gupta

Ritika Gupta is a coin-based journalist at AMBCrypto who focuses on how economic and political trends impact cryptocurrencies. A social sciences graduate from Gargi College, she reports on AI, DeFi, Web3, and blockchain, using her hands-on experience to turn complex crypto developments into clear, practical insights for readers. More Articles