It gets crazier: Bitcoin fluctuated massively on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced an interest rate hike of 75 basis points. That’s the highest hike the central bank has attempted since 1994, showing urgency in its attempt to combat rising inflation.
- At the time of writing, Bitcoin trades at $20,457. It shot as low as $20,079 at about 18:10 UST, after reaching up to $21,222 at about 17:55 UST.
- Bitcoin has a tendency to experience volatility the moment the Federal Reserve announces an interest rate decision. However, the announcement’s true effects are often not felt until a few days after it takes place.
- Last month, the Fed announced a 0.5% rate hike – the highest in 22 years at the time. Bitcoin pumped briefly after the reveal but dumped in the following days alongside the stock market.
- The opposite may be true of this hike, however. Some believe that markets may have already priced in the rate hike after CPI inflation was reported at 8.6% last Friday.
- This alone suggested that the central bank may hike rates faster than previously planned, despite ruling out 75-point increases at the previous meeting.
- At the Federal Open Markets Committee Press Conference today, chairman Jerome Powell confirmed that the Fed will continue working “expeditiously” to bring inflation down.
- That includes reducing the Fed’s balance sheet size and implementing more 75 basis point rate hikes in the future. However, decisions will be made “meeting by meeting,” with 50-point increases still on the table for next month.
