Bitcoins Powell Under Pressure: Fed Expected to Hold Rates Amid Trump Criticism<\/h2>\n
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concludes its March 17-18 meeting with a decision markets have already priced in<\/a>: no change to the federal funds rate, holding steady at 3.50% to 3.75%. Predictable? Yes. Irrelevant? Not even close.<\/p>\n Because while the Fed holds its fire, bitcoin<\/a> has been climbing \u2014 now riding an eight-day winning streak and flirting with levels above $75,000, a move that has traders whispering that maybe, just maybe, crypto<\/span> is starting to dance to its own tune. Spoiler: not so fast.<\/p>\n Analysts at Bitfinex<\/a> poured a bucket of cold water on the decoupling narrative, explaining in a note shared with Bitcoin.com<\/span> News that while bitcoin<\/span>\u2019s recent strength is notable, it is far from a clean break from broader financial conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe recent strength above $75,000 does show relative outperformance, but calling it a true \u2018decoupling\u2019 is premature,\u201d Bitfinex analysts told our newsdesk. \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is idiosyncratic strength within a still macro-linked framework.\u201d<\/p>\n Translation: bitcoin<\/span> looks strong \u2014 but it\u2019s still very much living in the same economic house as everything else. That strength, according to the analysts, is being driven by a cocktail of stabilizing exchange-traded fund inflows, fresh demand from new structured products like STRC<\/a>, reduced leverage<\/span> after February\u2019s market reset, and tightening on-chain supply.<\/p>\n In other words, this rally has legs \u2014 but those legs are still standing on macro ground. And that ground is shifting. Inflation<\/span> had been cooling modestly, with February consumer price index data showing a 2.4% annual increase<\/a> and core inflation<\/span> at 2.5%. Not exactly champagne-worthy, but enough to keep hopes of rate cuts alive heading into 2026.<\/p>\n Then oil prices spiked<\/a>. Geopolitical tensions tied to Iran sent crude prices climbing toward $100 per barrel, injecting fresh uncertainty into the inflation<\/span> outlook and forcing markets to rethink how quickly the Fed can ease policy. That matters for bitcoin<\/span> more than the \u201cdecoupling\u201d crowd would like to admit.<\/p>\n \u201c BTC<\/span> is outperforming other risk assets, but it has not yet broken free of liquidity<\/span> conditions,\u201d Bitfinex analysts added. \u201cHistorically, what gets labelled as \u2018decoupling\u2019 tends to be temporary divergence during positioning resets, not a structural break in correlation.\u201d<\/p>\n So while bitcoin<\/span> may be strutting, it\u2019s still listening to the same macro music \u2014 interest rates, liquidity<\/span>, and the ever-watchful bond market. And right now, that music just got louder.<\/p>\n The oil-driven inflation<\/span> risk, with Brent crude still over $100<\/a> by the way, has already pushed expectations for rate cuts further out, with some forecasts shifting toward late 2026 or trimming the number of cuts altogether. Higher yields and a stronger dollar are not exactly the kind of backdrop that screams \u201c crypto<\/span> independence.\u201d<\/p>\n For bitcoin<\/a> to truly break away, it needs to keep climbing even as those conditions tighten \u2014 a test it hasn\u2019t convincingly passed yet. \u201cFor this to qualify as genuine decoupling, bitcoin<\/span> would need to continue rallying despite tightening financial conditions \u2026 which we haven\u2019t seen convincingly yet,\u201d the analysts said. Still, there\u2019s a catch \u2014 and it\u2019s a big one.<\/p>\n \u201cThat said, relative strength matters,\u201d Bitfinex analysts noted. \u201cIf BTC<\/span> continues to hold above the $75,000 to $78,000 acceptance zone while other risk assets lag, that signals strong spot-driven demand and supply absorption, which is typically the precursor to a sustained breakout.\u201d<\/p>\n In plain English: hold these levels, and things get interesting. Lose them, and this starts to look like just another rally in a macro-driven market. That puts the spotlight squarely on the next few weeks \u2014 not just what the Fed says, but how markets react to it.<\/p>\n Powell<\/a>\u2019s press conference will likely lean on familiar themes: patience, data dependence, and caution in the face of new inflation<\/span> risks. But traders won\u2019t just be parsing his words \u2014 they\u2019ll be watching bitcoin<\/span>\u2019s reaction in real time.<\/p>\n Because if bitcoin<\/span> keeps climbing while rates stay high and liquidity<\/span> tightens, the decoupling narrative gets a second look. If not, well \u2014 welcome back to macro. And for now, the verdict is still out.<\/p>\n![\"bitcoins](\"https:\/\/static.news.bitcoin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/wti_2026-03-17_13-36-43_nwmk.png\" "\\"bitcoins")
Bitcoins FAQ \ud83d\udd0e<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/b>Not yet \u2014 analysts say it still responds to interest rates, liquidity<\/span>, and macro conditions.<\/span><\/li>\n
<\/b>ETF inflows, new demand sources, and reduced leverage<\/span> are helping support the rally.<\/span><\/li>\n
<\/b>Holding between $75,000 and $78,000 is key to signaling sustained strength.<\/span><\/li>\n
<\/b>Higher rates and tighter liquidity<\/a> typically weigh on risk assets, including bitcoin<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n