Wall Street hates the Fed’s rate cut for crypto: ‘Short-lived..'

Group 1: Federal Reserve Rate Cut - The U.S. Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, lowering the federal funds rate to a range of 4.00% to 4.25%, marking its first reduction in nine months [1] - The decision was supported by 11 of 12 voting members and was influenced by weaker labor market data, slower consumer spending, and an increase in unemployment [1][2] - Prediction markets indicated a 93% probability of the rate cut prior to the announcement, suggesting that markets had fully anticipated this move [1] Group 2: Economic Indicators - Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that inflation has risen and remains elevated, with GDP growth slowing due to reduced consumer spending [3] - Job gains are reportedly below the breakeven rate, with payroll growth at approximately 29,000 per month and unemployment rising to 4.3% [3] - Powell expressed uncertainty regarding the impact of tariffs on inflation, indicating that new trade restrictions could complicate the Fed's efforts to reach its 2% inflation target [3] Group 3: Market Reactions - Following the rate cut announcement, crypto-adjacent equities experienced mixed trading, with Coinbase down 2.20% and MicroStrategy down 0.86%, while PayPal rose 1.62% [4] - Mining stocks also weakened, with Marathon Digital down 1.02% and Iris Energy down 0.44%, while Galaxy Digital gained 1.89% [5] - Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and XRP showed little momentum post-announcement, with Bitcoin trading flat below $116,000 and XRP at $3.02, reflecting that the market had already priced in the rate cut [6][7] Group 4: Analyst Insights - Analysts suggest that the Fed's rate cut provides support for cryptocurrencies but does not represent a fundamental market shift, describing it as a tailwind rather than a paradigm shift [7] - A lower discount rate is expected to lift the multiples on growth-sensitive assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, while reducing the opportunity cost of holding these assets compared to cash [7]