Gold Closes On ATH While Bitcoin Lags Behind As Risk Asset In 2025

The price of gold is nearing its all-time high as tensions in the Middle East escalate, but analysts say theyโ€™re doubtful Bitcoin will do the same as investors prioritize other safe-haven assets.ย 

The price of gold rose to $3,450 per ounce on Monday, just $50 shy of its all-time high of just below $3,500 in April, according to TradingView.ย 

The usually slow-to-move asset has gained a whopping 30% since the beginning of the year, catalyzed by US President Donald Trumpโ€™s trade tariffs and, more recently, an escalation of military action in the Middle East following an Israeli missile strike on Iran on June 13, which caused Bitcoin prices to fall.ย ย 

Gold prices have also been linked with inflationary pressures, as it is considered a safe haven and an inflation hedge by investors.ย 

โ€œShould additional data or comments made by economic officials indicate wider concern over inflation or interest rate policy, this price could very easily tip into new, record territory,โ€ CBS News reported over the weekend.ย 

Gold prices have surged in 2025. Source: TradingView

Will Bitcoin follow suit?ย 

Comparatively, Bitcoin (BTC) has gained just 13% year-to-date. It is also flirting with its all-time high, trading 5.3% below the $111,800 peak it reached on May 22.ย 

However, IG Markets analyst Tony Sycamore told Cointelegraph that Bitcoin still trades more as a risk asset akin to US equities rather than as a safe haven like gold.

โ€œIn that sense, with US equity futures rebounding strongly today from Fridayโ€™s sell-off, there is room for Bitcoin to move higher and play some catch-up to US equity futures.โ€

He added that, providing Bitcoin holds above support at $95,000 to $100,000, โ€œI expect a retest of the $112,000 record high before a move toward the $116,000 and $120,000 region.โ€ย 

Short-term gains for oil and gold

Apollo Crypto analyst Henrik Andersson echoed the sentiment, telling Cointelegraph that โ€œwe are seeing a recovery in equity futures as well as in Bitcoin after an initial sell-off on Friday related to the news out of the Middle East.โ€ย 

Related: What will Bitcoin price be if gold hits $5K?

However, he added that in the short term, โ€œoil and gold are likely to continue to move in the opposite direction to equities and Bitcoin.โ€

LVRG Research director Nick Ruck was of a similar opinion. Bitcoinโ€™s โ€œdigital goldโ€ narrative is โ€œslowly fadingโ€ as it struggles to mirror goldโ€™s rally, โ€œwith traders instead focusing on short-term volatility and liquidity conditions, making BTC more correlated to risk assets than safe havens,โ€ he told Cointelegraph.ย 

Looking ahead to Fed meeting

โ€œIf risk sentiment shifts and investors look for alternative stores of value, Bitcoin could see renewed momentum in the coming weeks if this weekโ€™s Fed meeting comes in as expected for investors,โ€ said Eugene Cheung, chief commercial officer at digital asset platform OSL.ย 

Markets are looking ahead to the US Federal Reserveโ€™s policy meeting and rate decision on Wednesday, but futures markets still predict no change in rates at the coming meeting, with a 96.7% probability of them remaining at 4.25-4.50%.ย 

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