Tuesday's headlines are dominated by the US–Iran confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz, where attempted strikes on American vessels failed, and by a record one-day surge of money into Bitcoin ETFs even as prices stayed under pressure. Here is what happened on Tuesday, October 20.
Attempted Strikes on US Ships "Unsuccessful" as Hormuz Standoff Deepens
A Gulf News live blog update on Tuesday reported that attempted strikes on US ships in the region were unsuccessful. The development comes as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits American troops in the Middle East on what has been described as a "historic mission". Inside Iran, debate is reportedly growing in Tehran over acquiring nuclear weapons, while Iranian authorities say they have taken action against more than 40 vessels for alleged violations in the strait. Meanwhile, Riyadh airport remains closed, a further sign of the disruption the regional standoff is causing to civilian travel and commerce.
Bitcoin ETFs See $526.6 Million One-Day Inflow, Biggest in Nearly a Month
Institutional demand for Bitcoin came roaring back on Monday, with US spot Bitcoin ETFs recording $526.6 million in net inflows — the largest single-day inflow in nearly a month — according to CoinDesk's markets coverage. The figure stands in sharp contrast to the prior week's $228.4 million in net outflows. Despite the strong inflows, the derivatives market remains cautious: on Deribit, puts are outtrading calls by more than two to one, a clear bearish skew, and the past 24 hours saw $184.34 million in crypto liquidations, roughly 90 percent of them long positions.
Market snapshot
Bitcoin traded around $81,400–81,500 on Tuesday, down roughly 0.5–1.6 percent over 24 hours, holding below the $82,000 level despite the record ETF inflows. Ether slipped about 0.9 percent to around $2,385. Oil pushed higher again: Brent crude reached about $111 a barrel, near a five-month high, as Houthi–Saudi lane risk kept the war premium in prices. There were no new China–US or China–UK tariff moves reported and no new exchange delisting announcements. Traders are watching Wednesday's calendar: Binance EPIC/QUICK copy trading ends, a US–Iran meeting is set for Doha, Meta and Tesla report earnings, EIA data lands, Mumbai waiver talks continue, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits India.
Watch: today's video briefings
International: Sky News reports from aboard a US aircraft carrier in the Middle East as missiles are loaded amid the Hormuz standoff (October 19):
Sky News watches missiles loaded on to US aircraft carrier in Middle East
Pakistan: Geo News 5PM headlines cover the Saudi–Houthi conflict, Qatar's statement of support, and fluctuating global oil prices (October 20):
Saudi Arabia vs Houthis: Qatar Issues Major Statement | Geo News Headlines
