Bearish
Bitcoin Price Drops to $66K as Fed Rate Hike Fears Weigh on Crypto and Stock Markets
18.02.2026 23:48
Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a significant decline, falling to the $66,000 level. This downturn coincided with a loss of momentum in major U.S. stock indices. The primary catalyst for the market-wide pullback was the release of the latest Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting minutes. The document revealed that some officials are open to the possibility of raising interest rates further if inflation persists. This hawkish sentiment from the central bank has increased uncertainty, prompting investors to reduce exposure to risk-sensitive assets like cryptocurrencies and equities. The market reaction underscores the ongoing sensitivity of digital assets to traditional macroeconomic indicators and monetary policy expectations.
Keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, Bitcoin price, Fed, Federal Reserve, interest rates, rate hike, Fed minutes, stock market, crypto market, inflation, macroeconomics