Bitcoin Surges As FOMC Keeps Interest Rates Steady

According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin traded around the $105,000 mark during European morning hours on Thursday following the conclusion of the year's first U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. The meeting, led by Jerome Powell, resulted in maintaining the policy rate at 4.25-4.50 percent. This decision marks the first under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration after three consecutive rate cuts in 2024. Powell stated in a post-policy press conference that there is no urgency to adjust the policy stance, as officials aim to see further progress on inflation. Interest rate decisions have significant implications for the cryptocurrency market. Higher rates can make traditional investments more attractive, potentially decreasing demand for Bitcoin. Conversely, lower rates can boost Bitcoin by making other investments less appealing. Additionally, higher rates might strengthen the dollar, negatively impacting Bitcoin's price, while lower rates could have the opposite effect. Following the FOMC meeting, Bitcoin saw a nearly 3% increase over the past 24 hours, recovering from a significant drop earlier in the week. This recovery was noted as a dip-buying opportunity by CoinDesk. Other cryptocurrencies mirrored Bitcoin's gains, with Cardano’s ADA, Dogecoin (DOGE), XRP, and Ether (ETH) each rising by up to 3%. Solana’s SOL outperformed with a 4% increase. The CoinDesk 20 (CD20) index, which tracks a broad range of cryptocurrencies, added 2.8%. In a notable development outside of major cryptocurrencies, Litecoin (LTC) surged 14% after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially acknowledged a 19b-4 filing from Canary Capital for a spot Litecoin ETF. This marks the first such filing beyond Bitcoin and Ether. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas commented on the significance of this acknowledgment, noting that previous filings were withdrawn. The SEC has now initiated a public comment period with a decision deadline set for approximately 240 days.