Bitcoin Stalls at $77,000 Ahead of Federal Reserve Meeting

In Crypto Regulations
September 14, 2026

Bitcoin Stalls at $77,000 Ahead of Federal Reserve Meeting

The leading cryptocurrency has stalled around the $77,000 mark. The asset lacks spot demand as investors await the Federal Reserve’s decision on the key interest rate.

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Hourly chart of BTC/USDT on Binance. Source: TradingView. 

According to COINDREAM, the current market structure resembles the period from January to March, when derivatives primarily drove the price.

“Rallies without sustained spot demand are less convincing. Spot demand remains weak, leaving the current advance without solid underlying support,” the company noted.

Experts believe that in the current conditions, risk management takes precedence over expectations of a prolonged increase in Bitcoin prices.

Analyst Alex Adler Jr. noted that in the past 24 hours, the derivatives pressure index has dropped further into negative territory—from -25.36 to -60.8. The indicator has been below zero since September 6.

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Source: Adler Jr.’s blog.

Since the same date, the Coinbase Premium Index has been in negative territory. The metric indicates seller dominance but does not clarify whether short positions are increasing or long positions are closing.

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Source: Adler Jr.’s blog.

“The price withstands pressure, but data does not yet indicate buyer dominance. A sustained move above zero in the derivatives index with a return to the positive zone of the 48-hour average Coinbase premium will signal improvement. The main risk is a renewed price decline if negative pressure persists,” Adler Jr. emphasized.

Market Prepares for Risks

Currently, market attention is focused on the procedural vote on the GENIUS Act (September 15) and the Federal Reserve’s meeting on the key interest rate (September 16). However, according to Santiment analysts, positioning data indicates that market participants have de-risked in advance—last week.

From September 3 to 11, Bitcoin’s open interest fell from 321,497 BTC to 278,151 BTC, a 13.5% decrease. Meanwhile, the price dropped only 5% during the same period, excluding the effect of revaluation.

Current positioning is approximately 20% below levels preceding the mid-August rally. The decline stopped on September 11 and has shown slight growth over two sessions since then.

“News headlines will appear on Tuesday, but positioning changed last week,” Santiment noted.

Previously, CryptoQuant concluded that for Bitcoin to confirm a new bull market, it needs to consolidate above $81,700.

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Steven M. Crimmins is a cryptocurrency strategist and freelance writer who has followed the blockchain industry since Bitcoin’s early days. Known for his sharp analysis of altcoins and trading strategies, Steven provides Satoshi News Africa readers with market-focused content grounded in research. He is especially interested in how African traders are adopting crypto as an alternative to traditional markets. Steven is also a podcast host, where he discusses emerging technologies and investment trends.