The cryptocurrency market is cautiously anticipating the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Investors and traders are watching closely, expecting the meeting’s results to have a notable impact on digital asset values. The pseudonymous cryptocurrency trader known as Kevin has predicted that the outcome of this meeting could significantly sway the market, especially given the recent downwards trend.
In the past 20 days, cryptocurrencies have been on a ‘slow bleed’, with most closing in the red for 15 out of those 20 days. The negative performance alignment across various coins suggests that the market is on high alert, awaiting more data and guidance. This cautious stance is primarily attributed to investor anticipation regarding interest rate movements. Kevin has emphasized that clarity from the FOMC meeting regarding interest rates could be a turning point for the cryptocurrency market.
According to Kevin, there are potential outcomes that hinge on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s stance on the future direction of interest rates. The perception of risk among investors is closely tied to interest rates, which influence the cost of borrowing and can affect the flow of money into risk assets like cryptocurrencies.
Bank of America’s U.S. economist, Michael Gapen, has provided some insights, forecasting no immediate changes in interest rates. He suggests that the focus will likely be on the Fed’s future policy trajectory, especially concerning the possibility of rate cuts. Such policy actions are closely monitored by crypto market participants, as they can lead to shifts in investment strategies and asset allocations.
Amid these speculations, it is noteworthy to mention the performance of prominent cryptocurrencies following the previous FOMC meeting in mid-March. In the immediate aftermath—with no interest rate changes—Bitcoin saw a modest increase of 0.5% one day after the meeting. Meanwhile, the meme-inspired cryptocurrencies Dogecoin and Shiba Inu experienced sharper surges, recording increases of 6% and 3% respectively.
Currently, Bitcoin is trading around $60,330, experiencing a 4% decline on the day. Similar declines are observed for Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, both down by 6% and 6.2% respectively. The markets seem to be in a holding pattern as decisions from the Federal Reserve are awaited.
Adding to the context of cryptocurrency in the financial landscape, meme coins and Bitcoin are set to be key topics at the forthcoming Benzinga’s Future of Digital Assets event on November 19. The discussion signals a growing interest and institutional consideration of cryptocurrencies as an asset class.
As the FOMC meeting draws closer, the air of anticipation thickens with stakeholders from various sectors keeping a keen eye on how their financial strategies might be influenced. History has shown that these meetings have the power to pump some volatility into the crypto markets. Whether that will happen again following this week’s meeting remains to be seen, but the consensus is clear: the outcome will matter.
