Steady rates, uneasy markets 😵‍💫

Traders were expecting the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged, but Bitcoin and Ethereum still wobbled.

Author

Stacy Jones
March 18, 2026

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📝 What you need to know

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady Wednesday at a target range of 3.50%–3.75%, extending a pause that began in January after a series of cuts at the end of 2025.

The decision was broadly expected, but not unanimous—FOMC member Stephen Miran dissented in favor of a 25-basis-point cut. Bitcoin and Ethereum both slipped on the news, falling roughly 3.6% and 5.3% on the day, respectively. The Fed flagged persistent inflation and rising energy costs—driven in part by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran—as key uncertainties shaping its cautious, data-dependent outlook.

Bitcoin, Ethereum Waver as Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady

Inflation has exceeded the central bank’s 2% target for nearly five years, but the Fed held rates firm again as Bitcoin and Ethereum wobbled.

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