Bitcoin (BTC) Price Surges as the Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rates Steady

The Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) March 19 meeting.

The Federal Reserve has decided to keep interest rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) March 19 meeting. This move signals that the central bank is taking a wait-and-see approach as concerns about inflation persist.

As confirmed by a commentary from Santiment on the FOMC decision, Bitcoin responded favorably to this policy holding, pulling the wider cryptocurrency market with it.

Yesterday saw Bitcoin’s price spike to as high as $87,443 from around $82K. However, at the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $85,814, reflecting a 3.2% rise in the past 24 hours.

This upward movement comes as no surprise, given that traders had largely anticipated the Fed to hold rates steady. However, despite the positive short-term response, some analysts warn that the long-term impact of the Fed’s monetary policies on cryptocurrencies remains uncertain.

What’s the Link Between Fed Policy and Crypto Markets?

The relationship between the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy and cryptocurrency markets has been well documented over the past years.

In 2024, the Fed raised interest rates several times to combat rising inflation, leading to considerable volatility in crypto markets.

How Did Bitcoin React to Fed Decisions in 2024?

For instance, in March 2024, the Fed kept rates at 5.25%-5.50%, and Bitcoin initially reacted positively, reaching an all-time high above $72,000. However, prices dropped sharply in April.

May 2024 saw the Fed maintain its stance, but crypto traders were more cautious, avoiding the overzealous buying that had occurred earlier in the year as a result, and Bitcoin and other digital assets bounced back.

However, during the summer of 2024, as inflation showed signs of leveling off, the Fed held steady at least June and July. Despite these measures, the price of Bitcoin and altcoins continued to decline.

In September 2024, the Fed finally lowered rates by 0.25%, triggering a bull market that saw Bitcoin surge by 10% within just a few days. This upward momentum continued throughout the fall, especially after the November 2024 U.S. presidential election, which brought a pro-crypto candidate into office. Bitcoin and altcoins experienced substantial gains, culminating in a new all-time high for Bitcoin.

What’s the Fed’s Inflation Outlook for 2025?

Earlier this year, the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady at 4.75%-5.00% in January had a cooling effect on crypto markets, with prices retracing slightly. However, the March decision to maintain rates at 4.25%-4.50% has been more positively received, with crypto prices experiencing slight upticks.

The Fed’s latest inflation forecast for 2025 projects inflation at 2.7%, which is a slight increase from its prior estimate of 2.5%. This suggests that the central bank remains focused on monitoring inflation and may adjust its policies if inflation deviates significantly from the target level. Nonetheless, the bank anticipates that inflation will gradually decrease over the next two years, eventually reaching 2% in 2027.

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