Ethereum
FOMC Holds Interest Rates Steady, Bitcoin and Ethereum Prices Fall
After Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said a September rate cut “could be on the cards,” stocks soared to session highs. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 climbed 3.3% and the S&P 500 climbed 2%. However, the king cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) fell 1.3% to $66,088, and Ethereum (ETH) fell about 1.11% to $3,313. Over the past 24 hours, the global cryptocurrency market cap also fell 0.71% to $2.39 trillion.
However, market analysts believe that this is a short-term decline, as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, despite being in a bearish situation, are showing bullish signals. Although BTC is still struggling to break the $70,000 mark, it will be interesting to see how BTC will react in August before the rate cuts.
Federal Reserve Decision
On July 31, the U.S. Federal Reserve concluded a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) by choosing to keep benchmark interest rates unchanged at 5.25%-5.50%, in line with Wall Street expectations. The decision marked the eighth consecutive meeting without a rate change.
Towards a market rebound?
According to SantimentThe FOMC’s decision to maintain current interest rates led to an initial decline in cryptocurrency prices. Traders were hoping for a rate cut, which hasn’t happened since March 2020. A future rate cut could signal bullish trends for stocks and cryptocurrencies, potentially boosting markets for the remainder of 2024. Despite the initial sell-off, markets are likely to stabilize unless another major event impacts the cryptocurrency sector.
In the meantime, aggressive accumulation by bulls and increasing negative sentiment among the crowd could set the stage for a substantial market rebound.
Understanding the broader impact
Despite the anticipation surrounding the FOMC meeting, the impact on cryptocurrencies was limited as the pause on rates had already been factored into prices. Previous Fed decisions have shown minimal major impact on Bitcoin prices.
Historically, FOMC actions affect all asset classes. In 2020 and 2021, Bitcoin and other altcoins soared when the Fed cut rates to zero, only to reverse course in 2022 when rates began to rise. Investors moved trillions of dollars into lower-risk assets, with money market funds amassing over $6.1 trillion, earning an average return of 5%.
Furthermore, Bitcoin’s immediate resistance is noted at $66,852, with support at $65,000. The RSI is signaling oversold conditions, suggesting further declines are possible if the price falls below $65,900.
Investors are now closely watching the FOMC meeting for clues about inflation and economic growth, which could influence Bitcoin’s next move.