Expectations surrounding possible rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in September are nearing peak levels, especially among crypto investors. Historically, Fed rate cuts have often meant the start of a bull run since it signals to investors to take more positions in risk assets such as Bitcoin and crypto. Thus, with only two weeks left to the next FOMC meeting, votes are already coming in for what the Fed will do and how the crypto market will react.
Probability Climbs Above 97%
The CME Watch Tool from the CME Group website is now showing the highest probability so far for a Fed rate cut in September. The percentage had fluctuated over the month of August, rising above 92% and then falling back to 75% again as different developments popped up. However, as the market entered the month of September, sentiment has skewed completely toward the positive, and the probabilities have risen drastically.
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Bitcoinist had reported that the probability had fallen to 75% toward the end of August. But now the figure is back again, reaching the highest level so far, ahead of the FOMC announcement. The Fed Watch Tool now reads a 97.6% chance that the Fed will cut rates this September and trigger another bull run.
This figure means that there is now only a 2.4% probability that the Fed would choose to keep rates at the same level as they did the last time. In contrast, there is still a 0% chance that there will be a rate hike this September. In fact, there have not been talks of a Fed rate hike for months now, suggesting that all focus remains on the rate cuts.
How The Crypto Market Could React
Naturally, a Fed rate cut is bullish for both the stock and crypto markets as it allows investors to take on more risks. This triggers a flow of liquidity into the market, driving up prices rapidly, while also increasing the volatility of the market at the same time.
The expectation is that the crypto market could rally off the news, especially as US President Donald Trump has been in support of rate cuts for months now. However, there is also the need to be cautious due to high expectations often leading to dashed hopes.
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In a report, the on-chain data analytics platform Santiment revealed that social conversations with the words “Fed”, “rate”, and “cut” had risen to the highest level in almost one year. This suggests a lot of bullishness already surrounding the FOMC meeting. But periods like these have often marked the top, leading to a possible “buy the rumor, sell the news” event.
If the latter is the case, then it would mean that prices could rise leading up to the FOMC meeting and then crash if the announcement is different from expectations. Thus, it would be wise to be cautious around this period, especially with the expectation of high volatility.
Featured image from Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com