{"id":17977,"date":"2025-03-19T00:32:42","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T00:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=17977"},"modified":"2025-03-19T00:32:42","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T00:32:42","slug":"fomc-preview-bitcoin-at-risk-as-fed-prepares-market-shaking-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/?p=17977","title":{"rendered":"FOMC Preview: Bitcoin At Risk As Fed Prepares Market-Shaking Decision"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>All eyes are on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting tomorrow, March 19, with a rate decision that many analysts believe could set the tone for global risk assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), for the months ahead. Markets are pricing in a 99% probability that the Federal Reserve will keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged, but the real driver of volatility could be the central bank\u2019s updated Dot Plot\u2014a key measure of policymakers\u2019 rate projections.<\/p>\n<h2>What Bitcoin Investors Need To Know<\/h2>\n<p>Although the consensus is that the Fed will not move rates this time, the Dot Plot may reveal how many cuts are likely for the remainder of the year. Many market participants are bracing for anywhere between one and three cuts.<\/p>\n<p>Three cuts would signal a more aggressive pivot toward easing, often viewed as bullish for risk assets such as Bitcoin. Two cuts are generally seen as a neutral scenario, implying a balanced policy approach. One cut or fewer could be interpreted as <a href=\"https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/bitcoin-bearish-momentum-fades-short-sellers-retreat-as-taker-sell-volume-declines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \">bearish<\/a>, underscoring the possibility that the Fed may stay tight longer than markets expect.<\/p>\n<p>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will address the press about 30 minutes after the rate announcement, providing further insights into the central bank\u2019s thinking. Of particular interest to Bitcoin and traditional investors alike is any hint regarding the potential end of <a href=\"https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/bitcoin-bull-market-end\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \">Quantitative Tightening (QT)<\/a>. Recent speculation suggests that if Powell signals a wind-down\u2014or even a shift back to asset purchases\u2014market sentiment could improve \u201csignificantly,\u201d as one senior strategist noted.<\/p>\n<p>Kyledoops, a widely followed technical analyst, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/kyledoops\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">noted<\/a>, \u201cPolymarket is pricing in a 100% chance that the Fed ends QT before May. If Powell even whispers \u2018QE\u2019 at the next FOMC, markets will move fast. But knowing Powell, he\u2019ll keep it as vague as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Prominent crypto commentators are issuing mixed yet intense warnings about the volatility that could be unleashed once the Fed\u2019s plans become clear. Cobak (@CobakOfficial) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CobakOfficial\/status\/1901530508632453138\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">wrote<\/a> on X: \u201cA big move is coming soon! BTC has major liquidation clusters at $81,640 &amp; $84,800. With the FOMC rate decision approaching, where will Bitcoin head first?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, crypto analyst Astronomer (@astronomer_zero) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/astronomer_zero\/status\/1901886938212397210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">expressed<\/a> a cautiously bullish view but expects further \u201cchop\u201d until the announcement: \u201cWeekly open below, target still above, still expecting further chop until FOMC. Range scenario continuing to play out and eyes on weekly open as I wouldn\u2019t be surprised that gets tapped. Also FOMC meeting in two days, which fully confirms our bottom call scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He further elaborated that the best prices for trades often come around the FOMC meeting itself, observing: \u201cIt just induces more low conviction traders\u2026 which is another reason why the best prices (tops and bottoms) come right before and right after FOMC\u2026 As you know, the candles open is always a strong characteristic of the current situation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On potential targets for Bitcoin, Astronomer indicated he\u2019s watching the $80,900 zone for \u201cmore longs,\u201d while also suggesting a scenario where BTC could surge toward $87,000 if it breaks out above weekly open levels.<\/p>\n<p>ING Sees Weakening Growth<\/p>\n<p>Banking giant ING, in a recent note, <a href=\"https:\/\/think.ing.com\/articles\/federal-reserve-preview-no-imminent-pressure-but-downside-growth-risks-point-to-2h-rate-cuts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">highlighted<\/a> an evolving macro picture clouded by President Trump\u2019s policy priorities: \u201cAfter 100bp of interest rate cuts in late 2024, Chair Powell suggests that the Fed aren\u2019t in a hurry to ease policy further and a no change outcome is widely expected on 19 March. But President Trump\u2019s spending cuts and <a href=\"https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/trump-tariffs-hit-crypto-bitcoin-crashes-to-93k\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \">trade protectionist policies<\/a> are hurting growth prospects and will likely force the central bank\u2019s hand in the second half of 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>ING underscores that while the Fed is not currently under immediate pressure to reduce rates\u2014given still-solid employment numbers and inflation \u201ctracking hot\u201d\u2014mounting downside risks could shift the balance of policymaking: \u201cDisappointing economic data and President Trump showing no sign of wavering in his commitment to these policies has led equity markets to take a dimmer view on the prospects for the economy\u2026 We therefore expect the Fed to largely retain their forecasts\u2026 with two 25bp rate cuts this year. Nonetheless, the outlook for growth is cooling and the pressure for the Fed to offer more support to the economy will likely grow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At press time, BTC traded at $81,725.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-425037\" src=\"https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?resize=1024%2C453\" alt=\"Bitcoin price\" width=\"1024\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=3628 3628w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=640 640w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=768 768w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=980 980w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=750 750w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=1140 1140w, https:\/\/bitcoinist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/BTCUSDT_2025-03-18_14-42-51.png?w=3000 3000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All eyes are on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting tomorrow, March 19, with a rate decision that many analysts believe could set the tone for global risk assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), for the months ahead. Markets are pricing in a 99% probability that the Federal Reserve will keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3,4,5],"class_list":["post-17977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-crypto","tag-doge","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17977\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dogewisperer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}