Bitcoin price settles at $26.5K as key Fed inflation week dawns

Bitcoin (BTC) circled $26,500 into the Sep. 17 weekly close after new September highs gave way to calmer conditions.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart. Source: TradingView

Bitcoin saves volatility for weekly close

Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC price performance stabilizing over the weekend.

The largest cryptocurrency had seen a trip to $26,880 two days prior, this marking its highest levels of the month so far.

Summarizing the state of the Binance BTC/USD order book, popular trader and analyst Credible Crypto noted that a cluster of bid liquidity was buoying the market.

โ€œSome seller absorption happening here- this level being defended atm,โ€ he wrote in part of accompanying comments on X (formerly Twitter).

Amid consolidatory movement, fellow trader Crypto Tony eyed two potential scenarios โ€” with $26,000 still holding as support regardless.

โ€œI am still looking for that dip down to $26,100 and a bounce for a long trigger,โ€ he told X subscribers on the day.

โ€œEither that or if we just reclaim $26,600 highs i will look to long.โ€

BTC/USD annotated chart. Source: Crypto Tony/X

Looking more closely at exchange behavior, trader Skew highlighted specific short-term trends among traders, with spot entities selling into bounces.

Can FOMC shift BTC price range?

Beyond the weekly close, crypto market participants were eagerly awaiting the coming weekโ€™s key macroeconomic event from the United States Federal Reserve.

Related:ย Bitcoin price all-time high will precede 2024 halving โ€” New prediction

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Sep. 20 is set to decide benchmark interest rates, with markets overwhelmingly expecting them to remain unchcnaged.

CME Groupโ€™s FedWatch Tool put the odds of a surprise scenario at just 2%.

Fed target rate probabilities chart. Source: CME Group

As Cointelegraph reported, however, Bitcoin has recently cooled its kneejerk reactions to macro data prints, and going into FOMC, some believed that the status quo would remain.

โ€œNext weeks FOMC and Interest Rate decisions should induce some volatility, but BTC will likely continue to trade within $25k – $27k in the short-termโ€ฆ,โ€ popular trader Crypto Santa concluded in part of recent X commentary.

BTC/USD annotated chart. Source: Crypto Santa/X

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.