Brent crude oil surged 60% in March, marking the biggest increase since 1988

Gate News, March 2026: Brent crude oil prices surged by 60% month over month, marking the largest increase since 1988. This year alone, the cumulative rise is already about 72%. Such a rapid climb is mainly driven by heightened geopolitical tensions. Conflicts in the Middle East have intensified concerns about possible supply disruptions. Threats to key shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz have led traders to quickly price in risk, triggering severe volatility in the energy market.

This surge in oil prices has further fueled global inflation pressures. Rising energy costs directly push up transportation, manufacturing, and supply chain expenses; companies often pass those costs on to consumers, which in turn drives broad price increases. Central banks in various countries may therefore tighten monetary policy, adding more uncertainty to financial markets and putting pressure on economic growth.

High oil prices also affect the stock and cryptocurrency markets. In a risk-off environment, investors become more cautious; stock markets face headwinds, while crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum experience short-term swings when liquidity tightens. At the same time, some investors view Bitcoin as a tool to hedge against inflation, creating a complex dynamic in which risk-off behavior and hedging coexist.

Analysts note that Brent crude rising this sharply is extremely rare, and usually occurs during wars, supply shocks, or economic crises—indicating that the market is under major external stress rather than being driven by normal demand. In the short term, oil price trends remain highly dependent on geopolitical developments. If the conflict escalates, prices could rise further, increasing the global economic burden; if the situation eases, the market may see a pullback, but volatility is still unlikely to disappear.

From a macro perspective, the surge in oil prices not only impacts commodity markets, but also spills over into the global financial system and the cryptocurrency market, underscoring the close link between energy prices and economic and asset prices. Investors need to continue monitoring developments and their potential effects on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and global stock markets.