Markets Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Federal Reserve holds policy steady as early Markets Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Federal Reserve holds policy steady as early

Federal Reserve holds policy steady as early rate cut bets vanish and bitcoin stalls

6 min read
Share
Share this article
Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail

Federal Reserve holds policy steady as early rate cut bets vanish and bitcoin stalls

The January Fed rate decision capped a sharp reversal in easing expectations, likely among the reasons for crypto's poor price performance.

By Sam Reynolds, Shaurya Malwa, Omkar Godbole|Edited by Stephen Alpher
Updated Jan 28, 2026, 7:17 p.m. Published Jan 28, 2026, 6:57 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google

What to know:

  • As expected, the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday.
  • Odds of a January cut, which prediction markets had put above 40 percent in mid-November, had fallen to nearly zero by the time of this week's meeting.
  • Chairman Jerome Powell's post-meeting press conference begins at 2:30 pm ET.

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday, a decision that capped a sharp reversal in market expectations that had once favored an early 2026 rate cut.

"Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization," said the central bank in its policy statement. "Inflation remains somewhat elevated."

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Sign me up

There were two dissents to the decision to hold policy steady, with recent Trump appointee Stephen Miran and Chris Waller — reportedly in the running to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair — each preferring to trim the fed funds rate by 25 basis points.

Bitcoin remained just under $89,500 following the expected Fed action, and U.S. stocks were little changed. The U.S. dollar remained sharply higher for the day following yesterday's large decline, and gold continued higher by 3.7%, near record levels at $5,300 per ounce.

Just two months ago, traders were split on the outlook, with prediction markets pricing a January cut at more than 40%.

By late November, those odds had already begun to fade. Heading into the meeting, the shift was complete. Markets priced in no change at nearly 99%, effectively erasing expectations for near-term easing and cementing the view that the Fed would keep policy restrictive through the first quarter.

While the January decision closes the door on early cuts, it has not eliminated expectations for easing altogether.

Market participants aren’t expecting the Fed to resume rate cuts at its next meeting in March, with CME FedWatch placing the odds at just 16%. Chances are a bit higher in April, rising to about 30%.
“The U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates reflects persistent inflation concerns and a stabilizing economic backdrop, likely resulting in near-term volatility for crypto markets as liquidity remains supportive," Nick Ruck, Director of LVRG Research, said in a Telegram message. “If Chair Powell’s press conference conveys a cautious ‘higher-for-longer' stance or hints at fewer cuts ahead in 2026, we could see short-term pressure on risk assets, including bitcoin."

Investors will now look to Jerome Powell’s post-meeting press conference at 2:30 pm ET for clues about the central bank’s thinking.

Federal ReserveFOMCInterest RatesBitcoin NewsBreaking Newstop news

More For You

Pudgy Penguins: A New Blueprint for Tokenized Culture

Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.

What to know:

Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.

The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.

View Full Report

More For You

Paxos' gold token rakes in record inflows as crypto investors turn to the yellow metal

Tokenized gold has improved the traditional store of value metal's utility, while bitcoin trades like a risk asset amid uncertain times, one expert noted.

What to know:

  • Paxos Gold (PAXG) posted a record inflow of $248 million in January, boosting its market cap to $2.2 billion.
  • The tokenized gold market crossed $5.5B as investors seek stable value amid crypto stagnation.
  • The moves occurred as gold prices surged to new records above $5,300.
Read full story
Latest Crypto News

Paxos' gold token rakes in record inflows as crypto investors turn to the yellow metal

White House to meet with crypto, banking executives to discuss market structure bill

Optimism governance approves OP token buyback plan tied to superchain revenue

Crypto's political power supercharged with $193 million in Fairshake, thanks to new cash

Coinbase rolls out prediction markets to all U.S. customers

MegaETH mainnet to go live Feb. 9 in major test of ‘real-time’ Ethereum scaling

Top Stories

Circle shares rise 4% as Polymarket-driven USDC growth prompts analyst upgrade

Robinhood CEO says tokenized stocks could prevent another GameStop freeze

Tether is buying up to $1 billion of gold per month and storing it in a 'James Bond' bunker

Fidelity Investments starts its own stablecoin in a massive bet that future of banking is on blockchain

The Fed has an interest rate announcement today — crypto traders think it will be boring

HYPE token's 50% surge is a story of crypto-traditional market convergence, treasury firm says

Latest Crypto News

Paxos' gold token rakes in record inflows as crypto investors turn to the yellow metal

White House to meet with crypto, banking executives to discuss market structure bill

Optimism governance approves OP token buyback plan tied to superchain revenue

Crypto's political power supercharged with $193 million in Fairshake, thanks to new cash

Coinbase rolls out prediction markets to all U.S. customers

MegaETH mainnet to go live Feb. 9 in major test of ‘real-time’ Ethereum scaling

Top Stories

Circle shares rise 4% as Polymarket-driven USDC growth prompts analyst upgrade

Robinhood CEO says tokenized stocks could prevent another GameStop freeze

Tether is buying up to $1 billion of gold per month and storing it in a 'James Bond' bunker

Fidelity Investments starts its own stablecoin in a massive bet that future of banking is on blockchain

The Fed has an interest rate announcement today — crypto traders think it will be boring

HYPE token's 50% surge is a story of crypto-traditional market convergence, treasury firm says

Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Regulatory Clarity Could Drive 40% of Americans to Adopt DeFi Protocols, Survey Shows

Regulatory Clarity Could Drive 40% of Americans to Adopt DeFi Protocols, Survey Shows

Over 40% of Americans express willingness to use decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols once regulatory clarity on crypto privacy emerges, according to a recent survey from crypto advocacy organization the DeFi Education Fund (DEF). The survey, released on September 18, revealed that many Americans feel frustrated with traditional financial institutions and seek greater control over their financial assets and data. Respondents believe DeFi innovations can deliver this change by providing affordability, equity, and consumer protection. The survey was conducted with Ipsos on KnowledgePanel and included supplementary in-depth interviews in the Bronx and Queens between August 18 and 21, polling 1,321 US adults. Survey Results Show Americans Ready to Adopt DeFi Protocols The findings demonstrate that many Americans are curious about DeFi despite its early stage. 42% of Americans indicated they would likely try DeFi if proposed legislation becomes law (9% extremely/very likely and 33% somewhat likely). 84% said they would use it to “make purchases online,” while 78% would use it to “pay bills.” According to the survey, 77% would use DeFi protocols to “save money,” and 12% of Americans are “extremely” and “very” interested in learning about DeFi. Moreover, nearly 4 in 10 Americans believe that DeFi can address high transaction and service fees found in traditional finance (39%). Consistent with other probability-based sample surveys, the Ipsos x DEF research shows that almost 1 in 5 Americans (18%) have owned or used crypto at some point in their lifetime. Nearly a quarter of Americans (22%) said they’re interested in learning more about nontraditional forms of finance, such as blockchain, crypto, or decentralized finance.Source: DEF The research shows that more than half (56%) of Americans want to reclaim control of their finances. Americans are interested in having control over their money at all times, and many seek ways to send or receive money without intermediaries. One Bronx, NY resident shared his experience of needing to transfer money between accounts, but the bank required him to certify the transfer and visit in person because he couldn’t move the amount he needed remotely. He expressed frustration about the situation because “it was my money… I didn’t understand why I was given a hard time.“ More than half of surveyed Americans agree there should be a way to digitally send money to people without third-party involvement, and this number rises notably for foreign-born Americans (66%). The researchers concluded that Americans are interested in DeFi and believe DeFi can reduce friction points in today’s financial system. Regulatory Developments on DeFi Adoption in the U.S Last month, DeFi Education Fund called on the US Senate Banking Committee to rethink how it plans to regulate the decentralized finance industry after reviewing its recently published discussion draft on a key crypto market-structure bill. The response, signed on behalf of DeFi Education Fund (DEF) members including a16z Crypto, Uniswap Labs, and Paradigm, argued the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025 (RFA) bill should be crafted in a more tech-neutral manner. The group also emphasized that crypto developers should be protected from “inappropriate regulation meant for intermediaries,” and that self-custody rights for all Americans are “essential.” The banking committee is now working on the discussion draft to help ensure it builds on the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025. The goal is to promote innovation in the $162 billion DeFi industry without compromising consumer protections or financial stability. On September 5, US Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said there was “nothing to be afraid of” about crypto payments operating outside the traditional banking system. This statement has raised hopes among many that DeFi would soon become the new financial infrastructure for Americans and the world
Share
CryptoNews2025/09/18 21:29
Michael Burry’s Bitcoin Warning: Crypto Crash Could Drag Down Gold and Silver Markets

Michael Burry’s Bitcoin Warning: Crypto Crash Could Drag Down Gold and Silver Markets

TLDR Michael Burry warned that bitcoin’s drop below $73,000 may have forced institutions to sell up to $1 billion in gold and silver to cover crypto losses Burry
Share
Coincentral2026/02/04 15:28
Michelin-starred dimsum chain Tim Ho Wan doubles HK footprint with 10th store

Michelin-starred dimsum chain Tim Ho Wan doubles HK footprint with 10th store

For Tim Ho Wan’s chief executive officer Young Sheng Lee, the brand’s aggressive expansion in its home turf helped create a proven growth model that can be replicated
Share
Rappler2026/02/04 15:27