Hawkish Tone & Volatility
At the FOMC meeting on June 18, 2025, Powell held rates steady but emphasized that inflation in goods prices is expected to rise over the summer due to tariff impacts . He maintained a cautious stance—no dovish tone or immediate rate cuts—which sapped risk appetite and added volatility to crypto markets .
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🔹 Crypto Market Reaction
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices have been range-bound: BTC hovering around $104K–$105K, ETH around $2,400–$2,738, with traders treading carefully amid uncertainty .
Post-Powell speech, BTC briefly dipped below $104K but has since rebounded near $104.8K, reflecting heightened sensitivity to macro tone .
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🔹 What Traders Should Watch
Interest rate signals: Any shift toward dovish language could spark rallies—analysts note that a softer tone could fuel bulls .
Support/resistance key levels: BTC key support sits at $104K, with resistance around $110K–$112K; breaches could trigger squeezes .
ETF flows & institutional activity: Despite caution, institutional inflows into Bitcoin ETFs are steady, supporting the market base .
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✅ In Summary
Powell’s cautious yet hawkish tone—focusing on continued inflation risks—has led to muted, range-bound behavior in crypto markets. Traders remain watchful for any signs of dovish pivot, which could trigger more significant moves. Until then, expect trading to stay within current key levels.
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🎥 Watch: Powell FOMC Press Conference
Watch his full remarks and Q&A for direct context.