Solana

FOMC

Bitcoin

Major

<ul>
 <li><strong>Bitcoin climbed toward $81,000 in early trading following the Fed announcement, while Ethereum, Solana and XRP also advanced.</strong></li>
 <li><strong>The FOMC held rates at 3.75%–4.00%, but two officials wanted another quarter-point increase.</strong></li>
 <li><strong>Bitcoin derivatives positioning and a roughly $11 billion options expiry add another source of volatility this week.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="https://ethnews.com/bitcoin-reclaims-81000-as-fed-decision-tests-recovery-strength/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bitcoin moved closer to $81,000</a></strong> after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on October 28, with major cryptocurrencies advancing even as two policymakers called for another increase in U.S. borrowing costs.</p>
<p>Bitcoin reached $80,941.21 in the latest <strong><a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">CoinMarketCap snapshot</a></strong>, up from $80,752.16 in an earlier reading following the announcement. The $189.05 increase, approximately 0.23%, came as Ethereum, Solana and XRP also moved higher.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20261028a.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Fed maintained its benchmark rate at 3.75%–4.00%</a></strong> by a 10–2 vote, with Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack favoring a 25-basis-point increase. The decision was accompanied by a stronger assessment of U.S. economic growth and another warning that inflation remains elevated.</p>
<p>The immediate trading question is whether the cryptocurrency market can extend its recovery despite the Fed’s reluctance to rule out further tightening.</p>
<h2 id="bitcoin-and-major-altcoins-gain-after-the-announcement">Bitcoin and Major Altcoins Gain After the Announcement</h2>
<p>Bitcoin’s latest one-hour advance reached 0.46%, while Ethereum gained 0.82% and XRP rose 1.00% over the same rolling period.</p>
<p>The improvement was visible across several large-cap cryptocurrencies, although weekly returns remained negative for most assets.</p>
<div style="max-width: 760px; margin: 26px auto; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: #243247;">
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   <div style="font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 1.5px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #b8cbe0; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 7px;">
    October 28, 2026 | Market snapshot
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   <div style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.35; color: #fff; font-weight: bold;">
    Crypto Prices Following the Fed Decision
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   <div style="font-size: 12px; color: #c0cbd8; margin-top: 7px;">
    Major cryptocurrencies | Source: CoinMarketCap
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  <div style="overflow-x: auto; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;">
   <table style="width: 100%; min-width: 470px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">
    <thead>
     <tr style="background: #f3f6fa; color: #607287;">
      <th style="text-align: left; padding: 13px 12px; font-size: 10px;" scope="col">ASSET</th>
      <th style="text-align: right; padding: 13px 8px; font-size: 10px;" scope="col">PRICE</th>
      <th style="text-align: right; padding: 13px 8px; font-size: 10px;" scope="col">1H</th>
      <th style="text-align: right; padding: 13px 8px; font-size: 10px;" scope="col">24H</th>
      <th style="text-align: right; padding: 13px 12px; font-size: 10px;" scope="col">7D</th>
     </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">Bitcoin <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">BTC</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$80,941.21</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.46%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.48%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #bc4251;">-4.47%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2; background: #fafbfd;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">Ethereum <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">ETH</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$2,354.18</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.82%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.38%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #bc4251;">-6.42%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">Solana <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">SOL</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$102.00</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.88%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+1.14%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #bc4251;">-6.40%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2; background: #fafbfd;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">XRP <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">XRP</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$1.32</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+1.00%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.43%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #bc4251;">-4.78%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">BNB <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">BNB</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$751.15</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.49%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.34%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.09%</td>
     </tr>
     <tr style="border-top: 1px solid #e7ecf2; background: #fafbfd;">
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; font-weight: bold;">TRON <span style="font-weight: 400; color: #7b8999;">TRX</span></td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right;">$0.3296</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #68788a;">0.00%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 8px; text-align: right; color: #177d69;">+0.30%</td>
      <td style="padding: 14px 12px; text-align: right; color: #bc4251;">-0.89%</td>
     </tr>
    </tbody>
   </table>
  </div>
  <div style="padding: 13px 16px; background: #f7f9fc; border-top: 1px solid #e2e8ef; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.65; color: #66778b;">
   Source: CoinMarketCap screenshot supplied October 28, 2026. Prices at the time of writing. Rolling returns include trading before the Fed statement and are not event-window returns.
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 </div>
</div>
<p>Total cryptocurrency market capitalization stood near $2.71 trillion, with the CoinMarketCap 20 Index advancing 0.50% over 24 hours. The Fear &amp; Greed Index registered 45, indicating neutral sentiment.</p>
<p>The broader market’s modest gains suggest buyers were returning after several weak sessions. However, the figures alone cannot establish whether new investment or the closing of bearish positions drove the move.</p>
<h2 id="bitcoin-futures-positioning-adds-another-risk">Bitcoin Futures Positioning Adds Another Risk</h2>
<p>Derivatives data provide a more detailed picture of the market entering the Fed announcement.</p>
<p>In its October 26 market report, Bitfinex identified approximately 669,253 BTC in aggregate futures open interest, indicating that substantial leveraged exposure remained after Bitcoin’s recent correction.</p>
<p>The report also highlighted a major options expiry scheduled for October 30.</p>
<p>Approximately 136,165 BTC in options contracts, representing about $11 billion in notional value, were approaching expiry. Bitfinex placed the maximum-pain level near $78,000 and estimated a one-standard-deviation price range of $77,800–$83,800 using prevailing implied volatility.</p>
<p>These figures were recorded before the Fed’s decision, not as a measurement of derivatives activity immediately afterward. <cite></cite></p>
<p>Nevertheless, they provide a useful framework for assessing the market’s next move.</p>
<p>Bitcoin’s latest price near $80,940 sits within the options-implied range, while the approaching expiry could increase sensitivity to changes in hedging demand.</p>
<p>The report also documented several liquidation events earlier in October, including approximately $687 million in long-position liquidations during a 24-hour period ending October 24.</p>
<p>That earlier activity demonstrates how quickly leveraged exposure can unwind, but it should not be confused with liquidations caused by Wednesday’s Fed announcement.</p>
<p>Confirmed event-specific liquidation totals were not available from the verified sources at publication time.</p>
<h2 id="the-fed-s-two-dissenters-keep-rate-hike-risk-alive">The Fed’s Two Dissenters Keep Rate-Hike Risk Alive</h2>
<p>The Federal Reserve’s official statement showed that the decision to hold rates was not unanimous.</p>
<p>Cook and Hammack preferred raising borrowing costs by another quarter percentage point, a position that contrasts with September’s unanimous increase.</p>
<p>The Fed also strengthened its assessment of the economy, describing activity as expanding at a strong pace rather than the solid pace reported at the previous meeting. <cite></cite></p>
<p>Domestic spending remained resilient, capital investment was robust and unemployment had changed little.</p>
<p>These conditions give policymakers room to keep rates restrictive while waiting for inflation to return toward the central bank’s 2% objective.</p>
<p>For cryptocurrency markets, that raises the risk of higher financing costs persisting longer than investors expect.</p>
<p>The implications extend beyond spot prices. A more restrictive policy outlook can influence perpetual-futures funding, leverage demand and the dollar liquidity available to speculative markets.</p>
<h2 id="what-traders-are-watching-next">What Traders Are Watching Next</h2>
<p>Bitcoin’s initial recovery leaves several near-term catalysts unresolved:</p>
<ul>
 <li><strong>Treasury yields and the dollar:</strong> Their reaction to the Fed’s statement will help show whether traditional markets are pricing a greater likelihood of additional tightening.</li>
 <li><strong>Bitcoin futures open interest:</strong> Rising prices accompanied by increasing open interest could indicate fresh leveraged positioning. Falling open interest alongside a rally would be more consistent with position closures, although neither pattern proves a single cause.</li>
 <li><strong>October 30 options expiry:</strong> The large concentration of expiring contracts creates a separate event that could influence hedging activity and short-term volatility.</li>
</ul>
<p>The distinction between new buying and short covering remains especially important after the recent liquidation-heavy trading sessions.</p>
<p>Bitcoin has recovered toward $81,000, and major altcoins are participating in the move. Whether the advance survives the next round of macroeconomic data and derivatives settlement will offer a clearer indication of market conviction than the initial hourly price changes alone.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ethnews.com/bitcoin-hovers-near-81000-as-fed-holds-rates-in-split-vote/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bitcoin Hovers Near $81,000 as Fed Holds Rates in Split Vote</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ethnews.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">ETHNews</a>.</p>

Bitcoin Hovers Near $81,000 as Fed Holds Rates in Split Vote

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