On Friday, Bitcoin’s price remained relatively stable during Asian trading hours, showing a slight dip of 0.9% to $67,030.4 over the past 24 hours. Despite this, the token had experienced a sharper decline earlier, dropping to $66,000 on Thursday, triggered by a robust rebound in the dollar from its recent one-month low. The cryptocurrency’s trajectory for the week appears gloomy, with a cumulative loss of 3.3% over the past seven days. This decline underscores the growing apprehensions among investors about the sustained high-interest rate environment in the United States, which has overshadowed the otherwise positive capital inflows into crypto investment products.

One of the notable events in the crypto space this week was MicroStrategy Incorporated’s (NASDAQ) announcement of its intention to purchase more Bitcoin through the issuance of $500 million bonds. However, this news did not generate the anticipated positive momentum in Bitcoin’s price. The broader market sentiment remains bearish, largely driven by the uncertainty and fear surrounding the prolonged high-interest rates in the US.

Bitcoin Struggles as Fed Signals Fewer Rate Cuts

The cryptocurrency market’s recent performance has been significantly influenced by the US Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates. The initial reaction to weaker-than-expected US inflation data was a temporary weakening of the dollar, which typically supports higher Bitcoin prices. However, this trend was short-lived as the Federal Reserve indicated the possibility of only one interest rate cut this year, contrary to earlier forecasts of up to three cuts.

This shift in expectations led traders to re-evaluate their positions, pricing out the bulk of anticipated rate cuts. Such a scenario is particularly detrimental to speculative assets like cryptos. High-interest rates tend to restrict overall liquidity in the market and dissuade investments in risk-heavy assets. Consequently, Bitcoin and other cryptos have faced significant headwinds, struggling to gain traction amidst these challenging macroeconomic conditions.

Ether ETF Developments and Market Sentiment

In the broader cryptocurrency market, prices moved in a narrow range, with most tokens retreating. However, Ether (ETH) managed to buck the trend, rising 0.2% to $3,515.79. This minor uptick in Ether’s price was partly due to positive developments concerning the spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF). Gary Gensler, the Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), testified before the Senate, expressing his expectation that spot Ether ETFs would receive full regulatory approval by summer. This news provided a glimmer of optimism in an otherwise subdued market.

Despite this progress, the overall sentiment towards cryptos remained cautious. Recent data from Farside Investors indicated a substantial net outflow of US$226.2 million from the US Bitcoin spot ETF market, reflecting a shift in investor sentiment. Interestingly, while most funds experienced outflows, BlackRock’s IBIT ETF stood out by attracting a net inflow of US$18.2 million.

The crypto market continues to navigate through a complex landscape influenced by macroeconomic factors and regulatory developments. Bitcoin’s lacklustre performance during the Asian trading hours, coupled with the broader retreat in crypto prices, underscores the cautious sentiment prevailing among investors. The Federal Reserve’s indication of limited interest rate cuts has dampened the outlook for speculative assets, including cryptos.

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