The price of Bitcoin was edging lower Wednesday morning, ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision.

Bitcoin fell by 0.3% to $74,980 over the past 24 hours, according to CoinDesk data. Ethereum, the world's second biggest cryptocurrency, fell by 0.5%, while alt-coin XRP was down 0.8%.

The Fed is widely expected to hold rates later in the day. So focus will likely shift to the central bank's economic projections and messaging Chair Jerome Powell's messaging around future rate changes, amid energy price hikes linked to the war in Iran.

There are growing hopes that "the Fed and other central banks meeting[s] this week wouldn't sound too hawkish in response to recent developments, " said Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid.

In the event policymakers signal rate cuts in 2026, that should lift digital asset prices — they tend to move inversely with U.S. monetary policy. A more hawkish tone, however, could lead to further price drops.

Write to Alex Kozul-Wright at alexander.kozul-wright@barrons.com

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source: https://www.tradingview.com/news/DJN_DN20260318001430:0/