Federal Reserve's Shift in Tone: Break in Rate Cut Expectations, Rate Hikes May Resume

According to "Fed Whisperer" Nick Timiraos, the Fed's internal discussions have shifted focus from "when to cut rates" to "whether to resume rate hikes." Several officials from the Dallas Fed, Minneapolis Fed, and others no longer want to signal "more likely rate cuts next," but instead emphasize that "the next move could be either a rate cut or a rate hike." The soon-to-depart Powell has also repeatedly mentioned a "neutral stance," indicating that the Fed is pulling back from its previous easing bias. If inflation worsens again, a rate hike cannot be ruled out.
A Dangerous Signal for Global Markets
Over the past year, the support logic for risk assets like U.S. stocks, gold, and cryptocurrencies has essentially been "the U.S. will eventually cut rates and loosen policy." Once this expectation loosens:
· U.S. stocks come under pressure
· Gold experiences increased volatility at high levels
· Cryptocurrency markets face liquidity shocks
The crypto space is especially sensitive: what truly determines Bitcoin's direction is not ETFs or halving, but global liquidity. Maintaining high interest rates or even raising them increases the cost of capital, making risk assets inevitably suffer.
On the other hand: Bitcoin's inflation hedge narrative may return
The Fed discussing "resuming rate hikes" precisely indicates that concerns about persistent inflation and declining monetary purchasing power still exist. Once the market begins to worry again about fiat currency devaluation, the narrative of Bitcoin as an "inflation hedge" could be reignited.
Conclusion: Focus on one core point
Do not be distracted by short-term rises and falls. The future direction of the crypto market entirely depends on whether the U.S. will resume easing or continue to maintain high interest rates (or even hike). This will determine the overall market trend. #Gate广场五月交易分享