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Bitcoin fell nearly 2% to about $79,800 during Monday’s Asian trading hours as investors reduced risk ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday meeting. Ether, XRP and several other major tokens also declined, while traders watched for signals about a possible December rate increase.
Bitcoin fell nearly 2% to about $79,800 during Monday’s Asian trading hours as traders reduced exposure ahead of the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday meeting. Other major cryptocurrencies also declined, while investors watched for any indication from Fed Chair Kevin Warsh that officials may raise interest rates in December.
The decline took Bitcoin below the $80,000 mark as markets entered a week with a closely watched central bank decision and earnings from major U.S. technology companies. CoinDesk’s report put Bitcoin at about $79,800 in Asian morning trading. It did not specify a longer measurement period for the nearly 2% move.
Selling extended across much of the crypto market. Ether fell nearly 3% to just above $2,300, while XRP lost about 3% to $1.28. Solana declined 2% and was near $100. Dogecoin, Zcash, Hyperliquid’s HYPE token and BNB each fell between 1% and 2%, according to CoinDesk data. Tron was the only major token reported in positive territory, gaining less than 1%.
The Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its decision on Wednesday. The report said investors expect the Fed may leave rates unchanged at this meeting, while listening to Warsh’s news conference for clues about a possible move in December. The reported Bitcoin level to watch is $82,500, described as the floor it lost last Thursday; the report said a move back above that level would be needed before buyers could treat the latest decline as a pause.
Fed Signals Put Crypto in Focus
The pullback shows how expectations for interest rates can affect crypto prices even before the Federal Reserve makes a decision. Higher rates can raise borrowing costs and make lower-risk assets more attractive relative to volatile investments. If investors interpret the Fed chair’s comments as a sign that rates could rise in December, that could weigh on demand for cryptocurrencies and stocks.
The declines were not limited to Bitcoin, and the report described weakness across major tokens and Asian technology shares. That broad movement suggests traders were reducing risk across several markets, rather than responding only to news about one cryptocurrency. It does not, on its own, establish that the Fed meeting caused every decline.
For crypto holders and market watchers, the immediate issue is the combination of the policy outlook and price levels. Bitcoin’s move under $80,000 marks a visible threshold, while $82,500 is the level cited in the report as a potential signal of renewed buying strength. Neither level guarantees what prices will do next.
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A Week of Rate and Tech Risks
The market retreat came as investors prepared for a week of major U.S. technology earnings and the Fed meeting. In Asia, a continuing sell-off in technology shares added pressure to sentiment. South Korea’s Kospi fell 1% after Goldman Sachs strategists lowered their 12-month target for the index by 25%, according to the source report. Chip stocks were among the biggest losers on Japan’s Nikkei, and Chinese AI model developers also fell.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.1% and was struggling to recover after four consecutive weeks of losses, its longest losing run since April, the report said. Nasdaq 100 futures were down 0.1% as investors awaited earnings from leading U.S. technology companies. These figures describe the reported market session, not a forecast for subsequent trading.
Energy markets presented a mixed backdrop. Brent crude fell 2% from a six-month high to about $114 a barrel after President Donald Trump said it was “getting to be decision time” on whether to reach a deal with Iran or resume attacks. U.S. Treasuries rose. The report linked the possible effect of oil prices, inflation and geopolitical tensions to the outlook for the Fed’s tone, but the policy decision remained pending.
“This week, all eyes are on the Fed meeting and it already seems like investors are de-risking as Bitcoin falls below the $80k mark.”
— Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at crypto exchange BTSE, in an email to CoinDesk
Rate Guidance Still Pending
The Fed had not yet announced its Wednesday decision at the time of the report. Whether officials will signal a December rate increase, and how Warsh will describe the outlook during his press conference, remained unknown. Mei’s expectation that rates would probably stay unchanged this week is a market participant’s view, not a confirmed Fed decision.
The report gives Bitcoin’s approximate price and percentage decline during Asian morning hours, but does not provide an exact timestamp for the price quote or a comparison baseline beyond the stated move. It also does not establish how much of the crypto sell-off was driven by rate concerns, technology shares, or other factors. The outlook for the U.S.-Iran situation and its effects on oil and inflation was also unresolved.
Wednesday’s Decision and Press Conference
Investors will get the Fed’s policy decision on Wednesday, followed by Warsh’s press conference. Markets are likely to focus on what he says about inflation, future rates and the possibility of a December increase; those comments could change expectations even if the Fed leaves rates unchanged this week.
Crypto traders will also be watching whether Bitcoin moves back above $82,500, the level identified in the report as its lost support, and whether declines across other tokens and technology shares continue. These are market indicators to monitor, not reliable guarantees of a rebound or further losses. Cryptocurrency prices are volatile, and investors can lose some or all of the money they put at risk.
Key Questions
How far did Bitcoin fall?
Bitcoin fell nearly 2% to about $79,800 during Monday’s Asian morning trading hours, according to CoinDesk’s report. The report did not give a precise timestamp for that price.
Why were traders reducing risk?
The report said traders were cutting exposure ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday. Investors were watching for any indication of a possible December rate increase, while technology shares were also under pressure.
Did the Federal Reserve raise rates?
No rate decision had been announced at the time covered by the report. The Fed was scheduled to make its announcement on Wednesday; a December increase was discussed as a possibility, not a confirmed outcome.
Which other cryptocurrencies declined?
Ether fell nearly 3%, XRP lost about 3%, and Solana declined 2%. Dogecoin, Zcash, HYPE and BNB each dropped between 1% and 2%. Tron was reported up less than 1%.
What Bitcoin price level did the report identify?
The report identified $82,500 as the level Bitcoin would need to regain before buyers could call the decline a pause. That is a level cited in the report, not a guarantee of future price movement.
Source: rss
