Crypto markets head lower in anticipation of Wednesday’s FOMC rate hike decision

Quick Take

  • Crypto markets trade lower in wake of last week’s hot inflation data
  • Market participants weigh possibility of 100bps rate hike from Fed on Wednesday

Crypto markets traded lower over the weekend and into Monday after last week’s inflation data came in hotter than expected, dashing the hopes of investors who thought July’s CPI print might have indicated inflation had peaked. 

The CME FedWatch Tool now indicates a 20% likelihood of a 100bps hike during Wednesday’s FOMC meeting — up from 0% just one week ago.

The total crypto market cap currently sits around $890 billion, after once again slipping below the $1 trillion dollar mark last week.

RELATED INDICES

At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading at around $19,090, down over 16% since the CPI print. Meanwhile ether is trading at $1,343, down more than 23% over the same period.

A research note from Goldman Sachs indicates the bond market is also pricing in a 25% chance of a 100bps hike for Wednesday’s meeting, with analysts expecting “50bp hikes in November and December, taking the funds rate to 4-4.25% at year end.”


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About Author

Davis Quinton is the Director of Podcasts at The Block and runs our flagship podcast called The Scoop, hosted by Frank Chaparro. Since joining The Block as an 'intern' in early 2022, he has worked closely with leaders across departments to translate The Block's written content into engaging multimedia formats. He holds a degree in Social Research & Public Policy from New York University in Abu Dhabi and is based in Sydney, Australia.