Crypto News Today: BTC, ETH, XRP Slide After Fed Decision Keeps Rates Unchanged
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept interest rates unchanged on October 28, but its assessment of inflation and economic growth offered few reasons to expect an immediate shift toward monetary easing.At 03:34 UTC on October 29, CoinPaprika data showed Bitcoin trading near $79,732, Ethereum at $2,303, and XRP at $1.29. The figures represented 24-hour declines of 1.42%, 2.09%, and 3.03%, respectively. The broader cryptocurrency market capitalization also fell 1.41% to approximately $2.80 trillion.Fed Holds Rates Steady, but FOMC Statement Keeps Inflation in FocusThe Federal Reserve maintained its federal funds target range at 3.75%–4.00%, matching expectations for the October meeting. However, the 10–2 vote revealed a division among policymakers over whether current monetary policy was sufficiently restrictive.Fed Chair Kevin Warsh highlighted nearly six years of above-target inflation as the FOMC voted 10–2 to hold interest rates at 3.75%–4%, prioritizing price stability. Source: Coin Bureau via XFederal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack dissented, preferring a quarter-percentage-point rate increase. Their position highlighted continuing concerns about inflation despite the decision to leave borrowing costs unchanged.The accompanying FOMC statement also upgraded the central bank’s assessment of economic activity from “solid” to “strong.” Officials pointed to resilient domestic spending, strong productivity growth, continued investment, and a labor market where job gains had kept pace with the workforce.At the same time, the committee reiterated that inflation “remains elevated.” It said further information would help determine the appropriate policy stance to return inflation to its 2% objective.Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh defended the broader economic outlook during his post-meeting press conference. He said the economy was “not running too hot” and argued that the Fed’s goal “isn’t to throw sand in the gears” of economic activity.Warsh did not commit to another rate move in December. Instead, the decision leaves investors dependent on incoming inflation, employment, and economic growth data to assess the next step in monetary policy.Bitcoin Price Today: BTC Gives Back Post-Fed GainsBitcoin initially responded positively to the Fed’s decision, moving back above $81,000 as traders welcomed the absence of an immediate rate increase. However, the brought BTC below the closely watched $80,000 level.Bitcoin (BTC) price chart. Source: The reversal suggests that an expected rate hold was not enough to sustain buying interest. Investors had largely anticipated the decision, leaving the FOMC’s economic assessment and Warsh’s comments as important factors in determining whether the announcement would support further gains. also reflects a broader market environment in which traders remain cautious about the possibility of additional monetary tightening. Higher interest rates can increase the relative appeal of cash and interest-bearing assets, potentially limiting demand for volatile investments such as cryptocurrencies.BTC’s return below $80,000 places renewed attention on the price area discussed in Brave New Coin’s earlier Bitcoin support and liquidity analysis.For now, the post-Fed decline indicates that Bitcoin has struggled to turn the rate hold into a sustained recovery. Price stabilization and a return above $80,000 would provide a clearer indication that buyers are regaining control, while continued weakness would keep downside risks in focus.Ethereum Price Today: ETH Faces Renewed Selling PressureEthereum also retreated after the FOMC announcement, with ETH falling to approximately $2,303 in the October 29 market snapshot. Its 2.09% daily decline was steeper than Bitcoin’s, indicating comparatively greater weakness in the second-largest cryptocurrency during the measured period.Ethereum (ETH) price chart. Source: Brave New CoinThe initial response to the decision had been more constructive, with Ether trading around $2,360 during the previous session. However, the subsequent decline suggests that the prospect of stable interest rates did not provide enough support to maintain those gains.Ethereum’s sensitivity to broader market sentiment remains important when evaluating its short-term price performance. When investors become less willing to take risks, selling can extend beyond Bitcoin into assets with higher perceived volatility.The Fed’s statement added another consideration. By emphasizing persistent inflation and a strong economy, policymakers left open the possibility that borrowing costs could remain elevated or rise again. That uncertainty complicates expectations for a near-term improvement in financial conditions.ETH’s latest performance does not establish that monetary policy alone caused the decline. Nevertheless, its larger loss relative to BTC shows that the post-decision pullback extended beyond the largest cryptocurrency.XRP Price Today: XRP Records a Steeper DeclineXRP underperformed both Bitcoin and Ethereum in the same October 29 snapshot, trading near $1.29 after falling 3.03% over 24 hours. The token had traded around $1.33 during the preceding session, making its retreat more pronounced than the movements recorded by BTC and ETH.XRP price chart. Source: Brave New CoinThe decline came as the broader crypto market weakened following the Fed announcement. XRP’s performance therefore needs to be viewed alongside the wider reduction in risk appetite rather than attributed exclusively to the central bank’s decision.The FOMC’s refusal to signal an immediate shift toward lower interest rates left investors without a clear macroeconomic catalyst for further buying. For assets such as XRP, that uncertainty can add pressure when traders are already reducing exposure to the cryptocurrency market.The relative performance of the three assets is notable. While all three declined, XRP posted the largest 24-hour loss in the snapshot, followed by ETH and then BTC. That divergence indicates that the latest weakness was not evenly distributed across the largest digital assets.Further price action will help determine whether XRP’s decline represents a short-term reaction to broader market conditions or the continuation of its own downward trend. The available market data alone does not establish which factor will dominate next.Crypto Market Outlook: December Fed Decision Remains in FocusThe immediate market reaction to the October 28 FOMC decision was mixed. Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies initially advanced after the rate hold, but the subsequent declines showed that investors remained cautious about the policy outlook.Movements in traditional financial markets also reflected uncertainty. Reuters reported that Treasury yields changed in different directions following Warsh’s press conference, with the two-year yield declining while longer-term yields rose. The US dollar index also edged lower.These moves did not establish a uniform shift toward easier financial conditions. Instead, they reflected competing expectations about economic growth, inflation, and the possibility of further interest-rate increases.For cryptocurrency markets, the distinction between an unchanged rate and a dovish policy outlook is important. A rate hold prevents an immediate increase in borrowing costs, but it does not guarantee lower rates, greater liquidity, or sustained demand for digital assets.The Fed’s next scheduled policy meeting is December 8–9, 2026. Before then, investors will assess incoming inflation and employment reports alongside developments in Treasury yields, the dollar, and broader risk assets.Bitcoin’s ability to recover above $80,000, Ethereum’s performance around its recent trading range, and XRP’s response to renewed selling will remain important market indicators. However, the latest declines do not, by themselves, establish the direction of the next sustained move.The October decision ultimately left monetary policy unchanged while preserving uncertainty about the months ahead. Until incoming economic data clarifies the Fed’s next move, the crypto market’s reaction is likely to remain sensitive to changing interest-rate expectations and shifts in investor risk appetite.