Bitcoin Steadies Around $91,300 as Crypto Market Sentiment Remains Cautious

Bitcoin traded around $91,300 (roughly Rs. 82.3 lakh) on Monday as the crypto market moved cautiously ahead of the US Federal Reserve's rate decision, which is expected this week. The asset briefly slipped toward the lower end of its range over the weekend before recovering above the $90,000 (roughly Rs. 81.1 lakh) mark. Analysts say persistent ETF outflows, cooler spot demand and defensive derivatives positioning reflect a market waiting for macro clarity. Ethereum (ETH) traded around $3,133 (roughly Rs. 2.83 lakh). As per the Gadgets 360 tracker, Bitcoin is priced near Rs. 82.3 lakh in India, while Ethereum trades close to Rs. 2.83 lakh.

Crypto Traders Awaits Clear Macro Trigger

Altcoins saw mild pullbacks in the last 24 hours, with Solana (SOL) trading at $135 (roughly Rs. 12,180), XRP hovering at $2.07 (roughly Rs. 187), and Binance Coin (BNB) moving near $902.18 (roughly Rs. 81,300). Meanwhile, Dogecoin (DOGE) was trading at $0.14 (roughly Rs. 12.7) on Monday.

Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus, said market sentiment remains cautious as traders await policy signals. “A growing share of supply has slipped back into loss, spot demand has cooled, and ETF outflows have been persistent. At the same time, derivatives positioning remains defensive with flat funding and lower open interest ahead of the FOMC meeting [...] The expectation of a 25 bps rate cut is already priced in. So, the tone of the Fed's guidance could matter more than the action itself. For investors, this is a range-bound market.”

Piyush Walke, Derivatives Research Analyst at Delta Exchange, said volatility increased after key macro comments. “After stabilising near $90,000 (roughly Rs. 81.1 lakh), Bitcoin slid to $88,000 (roughly Rs. 79.3 lakh) following Kevin Hassett's speech, which triggered nearly $500 million (roughly Rs. 4,507.5 crore) in liquidations [...] Ethereum, which pushed above $3,200 (roughly Rs. 2.8 lakh) yesterday, has dropped to just above $3,000 (roughly Rs. 2.7 lakh) [...] Overall sentiment remains uncertain, with a major move likely after the Fed's rate-cut decision.”

Akshat Siddhant, Lead Quant Analyst at Mudrex, said leverage resets and supply trends may favour a bullish turn. “More than $300 million (roughly Rs. 2,704.5 crore) in liquidations helped reset leverage, creating a healthier setup for further upside [...] If the Fed proceeds with a rate cut this week, a “Santa rally” becomes increasingly likely, pushing BTC toward the $100,000 (roughly Rs. 90.1 lakh) mark. On the downside, $87,500 (roughly Rs. 78.8 lakh) remains a key support zone, keeping the broader outlook constructive.”

Bitcoin's current structure reflects a market balancing caution with improving underlying metrics. BTC must hold above $90,000 (roughly Rs. 81.1 lakh) to maintain near-term stability, while a move above $94,500–$95,000 (roughly Rs. 85.2 lakh–Rs. 85.6 lakh) could open a pathway toward the $100,000 (roughly Rs. 90.1 lakh) mark if macro conditions turn supportive.