Crypto Market Down Today: FOMC Meeting and ETF News Sparks Fear

Why is Crypto Market Down Today: Check Key Reasons and Upcoming Events

The crypto market is facing a tough time today. The total global crypto market cap has dropped to $2.92 trillion, showing a 0.77% decrease in the last 24 hours. On the other hand, the total trading volume went up by 14.17%, now standing at $63.45 billion. 

The DeFi space recorded $5.23 billion in volume, which is 8.24% of the total 24-hour volume. Meanwhile, stablecoins accounted for $60.73 billion, making up 95.72% of the market’s daily volume. Bitcoin’s dominance increased slightly to 63.97%, up by 0.29% over the day.

Why is Crypto Market Down Today?

FOMC Meeting May 2025 Brings Uncertainty: A key reason behind today’s crypto price dip is the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting in the United States, taking place on May 6-7. The FOMC, led by Jerome Powell, is reviewing the US economy to decide if any changes to interest rates are needed. These rates have stayed between 4.25% and 4.5% since December 2024.

This meeting is important because US President Donald Trump has been pushing for a rate cut, according to reports. Usually, the FOMC meets eight times a year to talk about inflation and interest rates, but this particular meeting is getting extra attention. Depending on their decision, the meeting could shake the industry even more.

Bitcoin and Altcoins Are Falling: Another reason for the dip is Bitcoin’s (BTC) weak performance. Bitcoin has been moving sideways for the past two days, trading between $95,033 and $93,989. Today, it’s hovering around $94,242, marking a 0.77% intraday drop. Its market cap is at $1.87 trillion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $22.79 billion.

Adding to this, some Bitcoin whales, or big investors, suddenly became active after over a decade. Data from Lookonchain shows two whales holding 3,422 BTC (about $324.2 million) woke up after years of inactivity. 

Source: X

One whale moved 2,343 BTC ($221.7M) after being dormant for 10 years, and another shifted 1,079 BTC ($102.54M) after 12 years. This kind of large movement usually shakes community confidence, triggering sell-offs.

Altcoins like XRP and Litecoin also took a hit. XRP price dropped 3% today and is currently trading at $2.10. Even though Ripple’s Q1 2025 report looked positive, the ongoing SEC case still worries investors. Litecoin fell even harder, losing 6.94% in a day, now priced at $81.62. This decline partly followed the SEC’s decision to delay its ruling on a Litecoin ETF, which disappointed the community.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Will the Crypto Market Rise Again?

Looking ahead, the big question is whether the sector will bounce back. The FOMC meeting is the main event everyone is watching. Most analysts are of the opinion that the interest rates will remain unchanged, which might assuage the sector.

Other factors like the Official Bank Rate, unemployment claims, and upcoming economic meetings will also influence the next steps. Though crypto prices can go up again, keep in mind that the market tends to overreact to international developments and policy shifts.

For the meantime, investors and traders are recommended to remain cautious. They need to monitor news on the FOMC meeting and observe how Bitcoin, XRP, and other top coins respond in the next few days. The crypto has its usual rollercoaster rides, so unexpected shifts are not unfamiliar to the industry participants.

Conclusion

The sector is struggling today with the FOMC meeting, Bitcoin whale activity, and declining altcoin prices. Although everything appears unstable at the moment, the industry could rebound if interest rates remain constant and future events yield positive indicators. In the meantime, the crypto community will be closely watching the price action to see what's in store for their favorite tokens and coins.