Bitcoin Price Tests $75,000 as Crypto Markets Await Key FOMC Decision

Key Insights Bitcoin price fell about 3% in 24 hours, while Ethereum dropped 4–5% as crypto markets weakened ahead of the Fed decision. Crypto markets are pricing a high chance of a 25-basis-point rate hike, while the CLARITY Act setback adds to regulatory uncertainty. Major tokens remain under pressure, but sectors such as GameFi and Arbitrum are showing relative strength. Bitcoin price dropped towards the $75,000 area on Sept. 15–16 amid a broad crypto markets selloff. By Wednesday morning, BTC was trading around $75,600, down nearly 3% in a day. Ethereum also declined below $2,400, down roughly 3.3%. Total crypto market capitalization is now around $2.58 trillion. The decline accelerated as traders closed long positions; according to CryptoQuant, nearly $121.6 million worth of Bitcoin longs were liquidated on Sept. 15 alone – around 85% of all BTC futures liquidations. Why is Bitcoin Price Down? The drop in BTC price is triggered by two primary factors – the US FOMC meeting and the U.S. regulatory environment. As the Fed’s Sept. 16 meeting day approaches, the chances of a 25‑basis‑point hike increased to nearly 90–93%, according to market expectations. Moreover, risk assets such as cryptocurrencies are under pressure as Treasury yields rise, and oil prices remain high (above $106 for Brent crude). All of that makes cash and bonds more appealing to investors than crypto assets. BTC/USDT Price Chart. Source: TradingView Traders thus framed a Fed hike as likely, pricing it in well ahead of time. At the same time, the U.S. Senate’s failure to advance the long-delayed CLARITY Act has extended regulatory uncertainty for crypto markets. Phemex analysts note that the “Senate’s CLARITY Act failure prolonged U.S. rule uncertainty,” dragging down Bitcoin, Ether, Ripple, and Solana in recent sessions. In practical terms, postponing the crypto market structure bill removes a potential positive catalyst, leaving exchanges, asset managers and blockchain projects unsure whether the SEC or CFTC will set new rules. Major tokens moved lower around the vote as Treasury yields rose and investors awaited a US FOMC decision. In other words, macro headwinds from the upcoming Fed rate decision and legislative gridlock combined to sap demand. GameFi and Arbitrum Show Strength Not all parts of the crypto markets weakened equally. The Coin360 heatmap for Sept. 15 showed broad red among large-cap coins but pockets of green in niche sectors. Crypto Heatmap. Source: Coin360 As BTC price tanked, the GameFi sector jumped about 9.7% in 24 hours, led by a 76% surge in Akedo (AKE). Arbitrum was a standout among layer‑2 networks, up roughly 10.7% even as layer‑1 platforms like Solana fell 5–6%. By contrast, the so-called PayFi tokens lagged badly: the PayFi index fell 8.4%, with XRP and Stellar each off about 10%.