BTC short-term decline of 0.35%: FOMC meeting and whale sell-off resonate, triggering short-term pressure

On April 29, 2026, from 12:00 to 16:00 (UTC), BTC return was -0.35%, with a price range of 77,310.0 to 77,597.2 USDT, and an amplitude of 0.37%. During this period, prices experienced a significant decline, market volatility increased, and bearish sentiment prevailed.

The main driver of this abnormal movement was the sharp decline in market risk appetite caused by the FOMC meeting. On April 29, 2026, coinciding with the Federal Reserve FOMC meeting, the market was highly sensitive to changes in the Federal Funds rate policy tone. Institutional investors and large holders generally chose to reduce leverage and shrink risk exposure, leading to a significant net inflow of whales into exchanges, directly creating short-term selling pressure.

Additionally, the noticeable slowdown in ETF capital inflows further weakened spot buying support. During the FOMC week, BTC ETF net inflows amounted to $933 million, a decrease compared to the previous week. Some institutions proactively reduced their BTC exposure before the meeting, shifting to cash or short-term U.S. Treasuries. Meanwhile, key technical support levels were broken, triggering stop-loss orders and algorithmic selling, which amplified price fluctuations. The US dollar index strengthened simultaneously, and capital flowed into dollar assets in traditional financial markets, exerting external liquidity pressure on BTC. On-chain data showed trading volume increased by approximately 11% compared to the previous period, and the number of active addresses slightly rose, indicating increased participation of short-term traders. Some small and medium-sized holders followed whale behavior, resulting in resonant selling.

Current market volatility risks still exist, and attention should be paid to subsequent policy signals from the FOMC, changes in on-chain whale fund flows, and whether key support levels can stabilize. Short-term investors should closely monitor macro news and institutional fund movements to guard against further downside risks.