Noor Trends News, Technical Analysis, Educational Tools and Recommendations
Bitcoin slipped back toward the $88,000 level on Thursday, remaining under pressure despite a softer U.S. dollar and a historic surge in gold, as investors absorbed the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged.
The world’s largest cryptocurrency traded 1% lower at $88,201.6 by 01:56 ET (06:56 GMT). Bitcoin has been rangebound between $86,000 and $89,000 throughout the week and is up just 1% so far in January.
The muted price action in crypto stood in stark contrast to gold’s explosive rally, with bullion vaulting past $5,500 an ounce for the first time. Safe-haven demand, geopolitical tensions, and expectations around U.S. monetary policy drove the move in precious metals.
Bitcoin, often promoted as “digital gold,” failed to attract similar flows.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate steady in the 3.50%–3.75% range, pausing after three consecutive cuts. Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers need clearer evidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward the 2% target before easing further, pointing to a resilient labor market and steady growth.
The cautious tone reinforced expectations that any rate cuts will be gradual and data-dependent. That outlook weighed on risk-sensitive assets, including cryptocurrencies, as traders reassessed future liquidity conditions.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the White House plans to host senior executives from banks and crypto firms next week to break a deadlock over landmark U.S. digital-asset legislation. The talks will focus on whether crypto companies can offer yield on dollar-pegged stablecoins—an issue that has stalled progress on the so-called Clarity Act.
While the meeting could help revive momentum for regulatory reform, markets remained unconvinced in the near term.
Broader crypto prices also weakened. Ethereum fell 1.5% to $2,958.92, while XRP slipped 1.5%. Solana dropped 2.4%, with Cardano and Polygon down around 1.5% each. Among memecoins, Dogecoin and $TRUMP both declined about 2%.
For now, Bitcoin continues to lag traditional safe havens, caught between fading risk appetite and an absence of fresh bullish catalysts.
