President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will stay open, while ships and cargo tied to Iran will be blocked.
In a Truth Social post on July 13, Trump said the waterway “is open, and it will remain open whether Iran is there or not.” He framed the move as a restored “Iran blockade” that would apply only to Iranian vessels and Iranian customers entering or leaving the strait. All other countries, he said, would still be able to use the route “fairly and openly.”
Trump also said the U.S. would act as the “guardian of the Strait of Hormuz” and seek reimbursement for the cost of securing the region. He put that reimbursement at 20% of all cargo transported through the passage and said the process would begin immediately.
The comments come as Washington and Tehran trade sharper military threats and the narrow shipping lane remains one of the most closely watched choke points for global oil flows. Any disruption there tends to ripple quickly through crude prices, freight rates and broader market sentiment. Crypto is not directly named in the announcement, but digital assets often trade alongside other risk assets when geopolitical stress rises.
The key question now is whether the U.S. can keep traffic moving while singling out Iranian-linked vessels without widening the standoff. Markets will be watching for any official follow-up from Washington, as well as signs that shipping insurers, energy traders or regional carriers are adjusting routes or costs. For now, the headline risk is still centered on crude supply and the chance that tensions around Hormuz stay elevated.
Trump keeps Strait of Hormuz open but blocks Iran-linked shipping, threatening oil flows
President Trump announced the U.S. will block ships and cargo linked to Iran in the Strait of Hormuz while keeping the passage open for all other countries. This move raises risks and uncertainty in the Middle East and could negatively affect risk assets including cryptocurrencies.