Bitcoin steady at $76.5k as markets digest Fed rate hike, M.East tensions

Bitcoin hovered around $76,491.7 on Thursday as investors digested the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.0%. The world's leading cryptocurrency showed a modest 0.6% increase, with broader crypto prices maintaining a flat-to-slightly higher range, though they had some losses before the Fed's announcement.

The Fed Chair, Kevin Warsh, expressed a cautious, hawkish tone following the rate hike, warning that inflation was still too high. However, his comments did not provide any clear forward guidance, and markets interpreted them as a hint towards additional Fed rate hikes. While Bitcoin didn't react much to Warsh's remarks, higher interest rates generally don't favor crypto, as they raise the opportunity cost of investing in non-yielding, speculative assets.

There was some relief in the Middle East as there were reports of the U.S. holding talks with Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, assuring Washington that their 2025 ceasefire still held and that the group would not attack U.S. or Israeli ships. This eased some tensions, but U.S.-Iran tensions remained high, and the Houthis continued to clash with Riyadh.

Oil prices declined significantly on Wednesday and Thursday, and Saudi Arabia reportedly began rerouting crude through Oman, which may help alleviate global supply disruptions. However, markets remained cautious over potential crude price rebounds, as U.S.-Iran tensions persisted and Houthis continued to battle Riyadh.

Broader crypto prices recovered on Thursday after the Clarity act, which aimed to establish a U.S. regulatory framework for crypto, failed to pass a vote in the U.S. Senate and was indefinitely delayed. Despite the setback, several industry advocates argued that U.S. regulators like the SEC and CFTC could still enact extensive crypto regulations.

Other major cryptocurrencies performed moderately well on Thursday: Ether rose 1.4% to $2,441.59, Ripple (XRP) increased by 0.3%, Solana gained 2.4%, Cardano climbed 1%, and Binance Coin (BNB) added 1.6%. Among meme coins, Dogecoin saw a 1% rise, while $TRUMP increased by 4.1%.