Bitcoin holds near $76.5K as stocks rebound after Fed rate move

Bitcoin hovered near $76,500 in the hours after Wall Street opened, as a rebound in U.S. equities helped ease pressure on risk assets following the latest Federal Reserve decision. The move came after BTC slipped below $76,000 during the initial reaction to the Fed’s 25-basis-point increase in benchmark rates. For traders, the key dynamic was less about a new burst of buying and more about stabilization: volatility appeared to cool over the prior 24 hours, liquidity around current levels thickened, and on-chain sentiment signals remained supportive—though not at peak “bullish conditions.” Key takeaways BTC held close to $76,500 after consolidating following a dip below $76,000 tied to a 0.25% Fed rate hike. U.S. stocks rebounded, with the Nasdaq Composite up 1.5% and the S&P 500 gaining 0.9%, helping sentiment across high-beta markets. TradingView data pointed to cooling BTC volatility and only modest price moves, consistent with range trading. CryptoQuant’s Bull Score Index fell to around 60/100—still labeled “bullish,” but below levels associated with stronger momentum. Range trading returns as equities find a bid BTC’s near-term behavior looked more controlled than directional. According to TradingView, volatility eased over the last day, while price action largely stayed within the bounds needed to interact with nearby liquidity rather than driving a breakout or breakdown. CoinGlass data also suggested a typical “two-sided” market: bid and ask liquidity thickened around spot levels, a pattern frequently associated with consolidation. In practical terms, this often means fewer aggressive liquidations and less forced repositioning—conditions that can keep traders from chasing until a catalyst reappears. That catalyst, in this case, was partly external. U.S. equities turned higher after a policy-driven wobble, with major indexes finishing the day up on the session. The S&P 500 gained 0.9% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.5%, giving risk markets a fresh footing. The Fed decision landed the day before: on Wednesday, it voted to increase benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.0%, its first hike since July 2023. The move ended a long stretch in which the Fed had either cut rates or held them steady across prior meetings. Earlier coverage from Cointelegraph highlighted the broader cross-market tone, noting that central-bank rates have been rising globally. In that context, the Fed’s shift fits a wider pattern: the European Central Bank delivered a 0.25% hike last week, and the Bank of Japan was expected to follow on Friday. The Kobeissi Letter argued that assets could still perform well even if rate hikes tighten liquidity conditions, pointing to the Nasdaq’s gains as an example. On-chain analytics: bullish trend remains, momentum fades Bitcoin’s recent trajectory has been uneven. The article noted that after a Tuesday selloff—when BTC/USD hit new month-to-date lows—Bitcoin bounced, trading about 0.5% higher at the time of writing.