Bitcoin, Ether and XRP Slip After Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged

what happened

The Federal Reserve kept its federal funds target range at 3.75%–4.00%, in line with expectations. The decision passed on a 10–2 vote, with Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack preferring a quarter-point increase. The committee raised its view of economic activity to strong and again described inflation as elevated.

According to CoinPaprika data at 03:34 UTC on October 29, Bitcoin traded near $79,732 (down 1.42% over 24 hours), Ethereum near $2,303 (down 2.09%) and XRP near $1.29 (down 3.03%). Total crypto market capitalization fell 1.41% to roughly $2.80 trillion. Bitcoin had moved back above $81,000 right after the decision but then dropped below $80,000.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said the economy was not running too hot and that the Fed's goal was not to throw sand in the gears. He did not commit to another rate move at the December 8–9, 2026 meeting.

why it matters

For markets, a pause is not the same as easing. Persistent inflation and a strong economy keep the risk of further hikes alive, and higher borrowing costs weigh on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Moves in Treasury yields and the dollar index after the press conference were mixed.

market impact

Crypto: expectations of higher rates pressure Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP

• ▼Bitcoin pressure down — higher rates reduce appetite for risk assets
• ▼Ethereum pressure down — tighter financial conditions add selling pressure on volatile assets
• ▼XRP pressure down — no signal of easing removes a catalyst for buying

tags

instruments