📌 TOPINDIATOURS Breaking crypto: Bitcoin Caught Between Hawkish Fed and Dovish War

The Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes revealed a surprisingly hawkish committee. Several officials openly discussed rate hikes. That sets the stage for a dramatic policy clash when Kevin Warsh takes over as chair this summer.

The Fed’s hawkish stance now threatens to box in Warsh before he even starts, raising the stakes for both monetary policy and crypto markets.

A Committee Tilting Hawkish — Right Before a Leadership Change

The FOMC voted 10-2 on Jan. 28 to hold rates at 3.5%-3.75%. Governors Christopher Waller and Stephen Miran dissented. Both preferred a quarter-point cut, citing labor market risks.

But the broader committee leaned the other way. Several participants warned that further easing amid elevated inflation could signal a weakened commitment to the 2% target. A larger group favored holding rates steady. They wanted a “clear indication that disinflation was firmly back on track” before cutting again.

Most strikingly, several officials wanted the post-meeting statement to reflect possible “upward adjustments” to the federal funds rate. This was a direct reference to potential rate hikes.

Powell Out, Warsh In — And a Policy Collision Looms

Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends in May. He has two more meetings at the helm. Trump announced on Jan. 30 that former Fed Governor Warsh would replace him.

Warsh has spoken in favor of lower rates. That aligns with Trump’s repeated calls for cheaper borrowing. The White House on Wednesday insisted recent data showed inflation was “cool and stable.”

But the committee’s hawkish majority may not cooperate. Rate decisions are made by 12 voting members. Only a few lean dovish. The rest see inflation risks as the top priority.

Analysts noted that the committee’s hawkish tone could complicate Warsh’s confirmation process and limit his room to pivot toward cuts early in his tenure.

If confirmed, Warsh’s first meeting as chair would be in June. Futures traders price the next cut around the same time. But the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — the PCE Price Index — is expected to re-accelerate in the coming months. That could delay any easing further.

Asian Liquidity Returns, Amplifying the Selloff

Bitcoin began sliding shortly after the minutes dropped during US afternoon trading. It fell from around $68,300 to below $66,500 by early Asian morning hours. That marked a 1.6% decline over 24 hours.

The timing mattered. Asian traders were returning from the Lunar New Year holiday. Rising volumes and turnover amplified the move lower. Escalating US-Iran tensions added fuel. Oil prices surged more than 4%, further weighing on risk appetite across crypto markets.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called the decline psychological rather than fundamental. He said the exchange was buying back shares and accumulating Bitcoin at lower prices.

What Comes Next

The Fed’s next meeting is on March 17-18. A cut there is effectively off the table. Markets now look to June as the earliest window.

But the real question extends beyond timing. It is whether Warsh can steer a deeply divided committee toward cuts while inflation remains sticky. The hawkish majority has made its position clear. Changing that will require more than a new chair.

For Bitcoin, the macro backdrop remains challenging. The combination of a hawkish Fed, a contested leadership transition, and returning Asian liquidity points to continued volatility in the weeks ahead.

The post Bitcoin Caught Between Hawkish Fed and Dovish Warsh appeared first on BeInCrypto.

🔗 Sumber: www.beincrypto.com

📌 TOPINDIATOURS Hot crypto: Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Bitco

Although current prices sit well below recent peaks, ongoing industry developments and technical indicators suggest XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum may be setting new all-time highs (ATHs) sooner than you think.

Below is a closer look at what could be happening in the news and on the price charts over the next fiscal quarter and a half.

Discover: The best meme coins in the world right now.

XRP (XRP): Ripple’s On-Chain SWIFT Replacement Could Rally to $5

With a market cap of $88 billion, XRP ($XRP) remains the leading cryptocurrency in global remittance.

Ripple designed the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a blockchain for the traditional SWIFT system, offering faster transaction settlement and significantly reduced costs for both institutions and individuals.

Recently, Ripple has reaffirmed its vision, highlighting XRPL’s preparedness for stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization, while hghlighting XRP’s central role within the ecosystem.

Furthermore, reports by United Nations Capital Development Fund and the White House emphasize XRP’s utility as a global solution.

On the regulatory front, U.S. authorities recently approved spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), opening the door for regulated exposure for more traditional investors.

If broader market sentiment flips bullish, XRP could rally 3x to $5 before the end of summer. Should bearish conditions persist, strong support is likely to keep XRP above $1.

Bitcoin (BTC): A New ATH by Summer?

The world’s first and largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin ($BTC), recorded a ATH of $126,080 on October 6. before shedding 46% over the last five months to trade at.

Since then, BTC has declined by about 46% and now trades below $70,000, following two sharp selloffs triggered by geopolitical concerns tied to possible U.S. military actions involving Iran and Greenland.

Often compared to digital gold, Bitcoin continues to attract demand from both institutions and individual investors looking for protection against inflation and broader economic instability.

Rising institutional adoption, reduced post-halving supply and incoming US crypto legislation could have a catalytic effect, pushing Bitcoin to multiple new highs this year.

Additionally, if Trump delivers on his proposal for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, this OG crypto could remain the daddy for a long time yet.

Ethereum (ETH): DeFi’s Backbone May Retest Record Levels

Ethereum ($ETH) is the dominant force powering decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 applications, with a market capitalization of approximately $244 billion.

With nearly $55 billion locked across the network, Ethereum continues to be the most economically active blockchain.

In a bull market, ETH could push past the $5,000 resistance level as early as June, surpassing its previous ATH of $4,946 recorded last August.

Over the longer term, Ethereum’s path toward five-figure prices will depend heavily on clearer regulatory frameworks in the United States and supportive macroeconomic trends.

Both factors are critical for accelerating institutional adoption, particularly in stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization.

At present, ETH is trading below its 30-day moving average, with the relative strength index hovering near oversold territory around 36. For bullish investors, this range may represent an attractive accumulation zone.

New Bitcoin Hyper Presale Turns Bitcoin into an Ethereum Challenger

While established networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP offer relative stability in a volatile market, the largest gains this cycle may come from early-stage innovators like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a new presale project gaining rapid traction.

Bitcoin Hyper brings Solana-style performance to Bitcoin via a proprietary Layer-2 network, while dramatically lowering transaction fees.

The Bitcoin upgrade allows BTC holders to stake assets, generate yield, trade tokens, and interact with smart contracts without moving funds off the network, significantly expanding Bitcoin’s functionality.

With $31.5 million already raised and growing interest from large wallets and exchanges, $HYPER is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched crypto launches of the year.

Investors interested in locking in $HYPER at its fixed presale price can visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect a supported wallet such as Best Wallet.

Purchases can also be done via bank card.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post Crypto Price Prediction Today 18 February – XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum appeared first on Cryptonews.

🔗 Sumber: cryptonews.com