Cryptocurrency News: Friday, July 31, 2026 - Bitcoin Holds at $64,000 After "Hawkish" Fed Pause, Capital Returns to Spot ETFs
The cryptocurrency market wraps up July in a state of tense equilibrium. The decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve to maintain interest rates unchanged, yet with a hawkish tone, set the tone for trading globally—from New York to Singapore. Bitcoin is defending the psychological level of $64,000, with spot Bitcoin ETFs recording a net capital inflow for the first time in several days, while altcoins exhibit mixed dynamics. The total market capitalization of digital assets hovers around $2.29 trillion. Let’s delve into the key events and prices of the top 10 cryptocurrencies that will shape investor sentiment in the last trading session of the month.
Key Highlights of the Day: A Brief for Investors
- The U.S. Federal Reserve kept rates in the 3.50–3.75% range with a 9 to 3 vote—marking the first time since 2016 that three committee members advocated for an increase.
- Bitcoin is trading at $64,000 after a volatile move from $63,700 to $64,700 and back; the weekly low is around $62,400.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of $32.1 million, breaking a streak of outflows; the IBIT fund led the charge.
- In contrast, Ethereum funds lost about $18.65 million—ETH's market dominance continues to decline.
- Forced liquidations over the past day amounted to approximately $280–316 million, affecting around 90,000 traders.
- The U.S. Senate failed to review the CLARITY Act before the August recess, with the market assessing the chances of the document passing this year significantly lower than a month ago.
Fed's Decision: A Pause with a "Hawkish" Twist
On July 29, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left the key rate in the 3.50–3.75% range. Formally, this is a pause; however, the details of the voting raised concerns among investors: three regional Fed presidents voted for a 25 basis points increase. Such widespread hawkish dissent has not been seen in a decade. The regulator cites persistent inflation around 4.1% and ongoing economic growth—a combination that pushes the prospect of easing monetary policy further out.
An additional pressure factor is the report that U.S. public debt has exceeded 100% of GDP for the first time since World War II. Treasury yields have risen, stock indices diverged in dynamics, while cryptocurrencies remained in a sideways range awaiting a new catalyst. For digital assets, sensitive to global liquidity, a prolonged period of high rates indicates a restrained risk appetite—but the absence of panic selling speaks to market maturity.
Bitcoin: Defending the $64,000 Threshold
The first cryptocurrency reacted classically to the regulator’s decision: a impulsive surge from $63,700 to nearly $64,700 was followed by profit-taking, after which prices stabilized around $64,000. The technical picture appears as follows:
- The nearest support is in the $63,000–63,500 zone, which buyers have held throughout the week.
- Resistance is at the $66,000 area, the recent local highs of July.
- BTC's market capitalization stands at approximately $1.28 trillion, solidifying the asset's dominant position in the market.
Bitcoin is still nearly 49% away from its historic high of $126,080, and 2026 continues to be a period of prolonged correction for the asset. Nevertheless, the return of institutional demand via ETFs, the absence of panic selling, and confirmed plans from the White House to establish a strategic cryptocurrency reserve provide a foundation for a potential turnaround in the second half of the year.
ETF Flows: Institutions Choose Bitcoin
Exchange-traded fund statistics as of July 29 recorded a notable capital rotation:
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs: net inflow of $32.1 million—first positive result after several days of outflows.
- Ethereum ETFs: outflow of approximately $18.65 million, continuing the trend of recent weeks.
- Solana ETFs: inflow of about $19 million—one of the best results among altcoin funds.
- XRP products: a symbolic but positive inflow of about $0.58 million.
The divergence in flows confirms that amid macroeconomic uncertainty, institutional investors are returning to "digital gold," reducing exposure to Ethereum. Meanwhile, the growing interest in Solana indicates a selective, rather than total, withdrawal from altcoins.
Ethereum: Pressure on Dominance and Staking Queue
Ether is trading close to $1,900, and its market share continues to decline amid capital flow towards Bitcoin. However, the fundamental metrics of the network remain strong: over 2.5 million ETH—approximately 2% of the circulating supply—are awaiting entry into staking, forming a validator queue of about 44 days with almost zero exit demand. An additional institutional impulse may come from the launch of cash payments for staking rewards by the Grayscale fund, expected in early August. For long-term investors, this is a signal: despite weak price dynamics, "smart money" continues to lock up ETH in the network.
Top 10 Cryptocurrencies: Current Quotes and Dynamics
The situation in the top ten by market capitalization as of Friday morning looks as follows:
- Bitcoin (BTC)—around $64,000; consolidation under resistance at $66,000, market cap ≈ $1.28 trillion.
- Ethereum (ETH)—around $1,900; ranging with decreasing dominance.
- Tether (USDT)—stable at $1; a key liquidity instrument for the market.
- BNB (BNB)—around $572; prices supported by the 36th quarterly burn, removing 1.62 million coins from circulation.
- XRP (XRP)—around $1.08; consolidating in the $1.05–1.11 range.
- Solana (SOL)—around $74; buyers are defending the $73–74 zone, funds in SOL are attracting capital.
- USD Coin (USDC)—a stablecoin, the second most significant dollar-denominated asset in the market.
- TRON (TRX)—around $0.32; one of the few large assets with positive dynamics since the beginning of the year due to leadership in USDT transfers.
- Dogecoin (DOGE)—around $0.069; the meme segment remains under pressure.
- Cardano (ADA)—around $0.165; critical support at $0.164, resistance at $0.173.
Regulation: CLARITY Act Goes on Break
The key legislative intrigue of the month has resolved not in favor of the industry: the U.S. Senate failed to bring the CLARITY Act on the structure of the crypto market to a vote before the August break. Market participants sharply lowered the probability of the document's passage by the end of the year. However, the regulatory backdrop remains overall constructive: the SEC and CFTC previously confirmed that the 16 largest digital assets are not securities, and the U.S. administration has officially established its commitment to forming a strategic reserve in Bitcoin. Investors should anticipate a pause in regulatory news until September.
Security and Corporate News
The industry reminded of ongoing operational risks. The Ostium platform disclosed information about an over-the-counter hack of $24 million, emphasizing that smart contracts were unaffected. The hack of Senator Cynthia Lummis's verified account on the social network X, used to promote a fraudulent meme token, has once again raised questions about phishing attacks on public figures. On the corporate front, Hyperliquid attracted its first Japanese corporate buyer of tokens, while the exchange Luno announced further layoffs as part of its restructuring.
Friday Forecast: What Will Drive the Market
The last trading day of July will be marked by macro statistics: investors are awaiting inflation and consumer spending data in the U.S., which will clarify the Fed's rate trajectory. The base scenario for Bitcoin is trading in the $63,000–66,000 range. A breakout above the upper boundary, supported by inflows into ETFs, will pave the way for growth, while tough macro data could bring prices back to weekly lows. For medium-term investors, key benchmarks remain unchanged: BTC's resilience above $63,000, Ethereum's stabilization above $1,860, and continued institutional inflows will be the first signals for building a base to recover the market in the second half of 2026.
This material is informational and does not constitute individual investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile asset class: assess risks independently when making investment decisions.
