diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/modes/linkComputer.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/modes/linkComputer.ts
index 0bb9c7684d6100acbef73fc54e47c8538d14b3b8..9d38173653648598478aee74b5f490a6e5de3b9f 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/modes/linkComputer.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/modes/linkComputer.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,8 @@ export class LinkComputer {
 							chClass = (linkBeginChCode === CharCode.SingleQuote || linkBeginChCode === CharCode.DoubleQuote) ? CharacterClass.None : CharacterClass.ForceTermination;
 							break;
 						case CharCode.Asterisk:
-							chClass = CharacterClass.ForceTermination;
+							// `*` terminates a link if the link began with `*`
+							chClass = (linkBeginChCode === CharCode.Asterisk) ? CharacterClass.ForceTermination : CharacterClass.None;
 							break;
 						default:
 							chClass = classifier.get(chCode);
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/test/common/modes/linkComputer.test.ts b/src/vs/editor/test/common/modes/linkComputer.test.ts
index 52db6612ce0ec774a38eff635c4f10813b170932..ebb5df027a5f197dd7fb402466041809e31ce9ab 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/test/common/modes/linkComputer.test.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/test/common/modes/linkComputer.test.ts
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ suite('Editor Modes - Link Computer', () => {
 		);
 		assertLink(
 			'let url = `http://***/_api/web/lists/GetByTitle(\'Teambuildingaanvragen\')/items`;',
-			'           http://*                                                                '
+			'           http://***/_api/web/lists/GetByTitle(\'Teambuildingaanvragen\')/items  '
 		);
 	});
 
@@ -202,4 +202,11 @@ suite('Editor Modes - Link Computer', () => {
 			'         http://[::1]:5000/connect/token  '
 		);
 	});
+
+	test('issue #70254: bold links dont open in markdown file using editor mode with ctrl + click', () => {
+		assertLink(
+			'2. Navigate to **https://portal.azure.com**',
+			'                 https://portal.azure.com  '
+		);
+	});
 });