Bitcoin Price Rises, But Fear Dominates Ahead of FOMC

TLDR

• Bitcoin and Ethereum show modest gains, while Binance Coin and Solana rise alongside XRP.
• The Fear and Greed Index at 37 signals caution in the crypto market ahead of the FOMC meeting.
• Bitcoin remains dominant, with the Altcoin Season Index at 28, reflecting limited altcoin performance.
• The crypto market cap stands at $3.02 trillion, with a market volume of $114.48 billion.
• Historically, Bitcoin has been volatile after FOMC decisions, with seven of eight 2025 meetings leading to price declines.

The crypto market today shows mixed movements in top cryptocurrencies ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision. Bitcoin is priced at $88,972.15, up 0.96%, while Ethereum is at $2,990.40, up 2.38%. Binance Coin (BNB) is trading at $902.94, up 2.23%, and Solana is trading at $126.71, up 2.07%. XRP also shows a 0.93% rise, priced at $1.9107.

Fear Dominates Crypto Market Today

Despite these gains among many digital assets, investor sentiment remains relatively cautious. The Fear and Greed Index is at 37, indicating fear in the market. This reflects market uncertainty as traders and investors await the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting’s outcome.

The Altcoin Season Index is at 28, signaling Bitcoin’s dominance in the market, while altcoins continue to trail behind. The crypto market cap sits at $3.02 trillion. Market volume is at $114.48 billion, but these figures reflect slight fluctuations as the market prepares for possible changes in liquidity and interest rates following the FOMC meeting.

FOMC Meeting and Its Expected Impact on Crypto Market

The Federal Reserve’s upcoming two-day meeting, set to conclude on January 28, is a key event to watch for the financial markets, including the crypto market. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged. Despite some political pressure, analysts anticipate that the Fed will maintain its current rate range.

As we reported earlier, Bitcoin’s historical reaction to FOMC meetings has been highly volatile, often leading to price declines after rate decisions. In 2025, out of eight FOMC meetings, seven resulted in a drop in Bitcoin’s price, with only one seeing a brief upside.

This pattern suggests that Bitcoin often struggles in the wake of FOMC decisions, even when market expectations are high. Despite low expectations for a rate cut, Bitcoin’s historical performance suggests the cryptocurrency may face a change following the meeting, mirroring past pullbacks after FOMC announcements.