Retail traders moved decisively into commodities this week as Middle East tensions jolted markets. The latest data showed that oil trading volumes on Capital.com climbed 649% on Monday, while the number of active oil traders rose 276% in a single day.

The platform recorded a 49% increase in active traders compared to the previous Friday, with total trading volumes up 73% and executed trades higher by 82%. Oil quickly became the second most‑traded instrument on the platform, overtaking several popular currency and index markets.

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The platform also saw gold volumes surge 103% overnight, signaling a powerful flight to safety.

Energy Sentiment Turns Bullish as Supply Risk Grows

The number of new traders entering oil positions jumped over 1,200%, showing how quickly retail investors reacted to shifting risk.

Bullish sentiment strengthened, with long positions rising from 51% on Friday to 75% on Monday. The data suggests traders were pricing in possible supply disruptions from the region.

Read more: Iran Crypto Market “In the Dark”: Trading Volumes Plunge 80% After Strikes

“Precious metals, especially gold, are typically a perennial favourite of retail traders. They are almost always net-buyers of both commodities. However, extraordinary uncertainty regarding global geopolitics, trade and economic policy has only seen interest in them surge, with the crisis in the Middle East stoking that further,” said Kyle Rodda, Senior Market Analyst, Capital.com.

“The significant shift in activity has been in the energy complex, as traders reassess their exposure to the volatility caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The risk of meaningful supply disruptions in the region is driving considerable bullish positioning for crude, though some traders have begun to fade that move following the initial spike.”

Gold kept its lead as the most‑traded asset, with active traders up 61% and long sentiment at 66%. The shift underscores how retail investors continue to balance opportunity in energy with protection in safe‑haven assets amid escalating geopolitical risk.

Conflict Affects Crypto Market

A separate report showed that crypto transaction volumes collapsed as authorities enforced sweeping internet restrictions that affected access to exchanges. TRM Labs reported that connectivity fell by about 99%, cutting traders off from key platforms. Iran’s largest exchange, Nobitex, registered roughly $3 million in additional flow activity, though analysts attributed most of it to internal treasury movements rather than capital flight.

Related: CFD Brokers Opened Offices in “Safe” Dubai: Will Iranian Missiles Deter Their Confidence?

With internet blackouts choking liquidity Liquidity The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent Read this Term, local exchanges scrambled to maintain operations. Wallex blamed a data‑center power failure shared with Nobitex, revealing how centralized infrastructure can ripple through supposedly decentralized systems.

Between February 27 and March 1, trading volumes plunged around 80%, reflecting both evaporating risk appetite and the sheer inability of traders to reach markets in real time.

Amid the conflict, Dubai’s reputation as a secure and business-friendly hub for CFD brokers was shaken after Iranian missile strikes hit near key commercial and residential areas, including Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab. The city hosts major brokers such as IG Group, CMC Markets, Saxo Bank, Pepperstone, Plus500, Capital.com, and CFI, along with tech providers like Leverate and numerous crypto firms.