Bitcoin spikes above $24K as Fed chair Powell hints at 'disinflation'

While the rate increase was expected by the markets and Powell indicating more increases will come, the market seems to have reacted positively to the latest FOMC speech.

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) broke through the $24,000 ceiling and the total crypto market cap jumped nearly 4% following a speech from United States Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in which he suggested the economy’s disinflationary process has started.

“We can now say, I think for the first time, that the disinflationary process has started […] we see it really in goods prices,” said Powell during a Feb. 1 Federal Open Market Committee press briefing shortly after announcing a federal interest rate hike of 0.25%.

The interest rate hike and remarks appeared to have gone down well in the crypto markets, which had been trading sideways in the lead-up to the speech but saw market cap increase by over $40 billion in the hours after the announcement.

*Cryptocurrency market capitalization from Feb. 1 to Feb. 2. Source:* *Coinmarketcap.com*

The global crypto market cap is now at $1.09 trillion, up 3.88% over the last day, according to the latest figures from Coinmarketcap.

Meanwhile, BTC tipped slightly over $24,000 for the first time in 2023, reaching $24,161.27 according to Coinmarketcap.

That being said, Powell said they still expect inflation to continue rising in the services sector for some time and to be prepared for “ongoing rate rises.”

“We see ourselves as having more persistent inflation in that [services] sector, which will take longer to get down, and we have to complete the job. That’s what we’re here for.”

Powell noted that “ongoing rate rises” would still be appropriate for the economy as the Federal Reserve attempts to bring inflation back to its 2% target level.

Fed Reserve hikes by 0.25%. Its 8th hike. The Fed did not indicate its at the end of its hiking cycle. But, Fed chair said in his speech he sees inflation coming down soon. 50% of inflation is in “disinflationary” phase. Markets react positively. #FOMC #Fed #asx $spx $ndq $xjo pic.twitter.com/1misOrnD2b

— Jessica Amir (@JessicaDAmir) February 1, 2023

It should be noted that disinflation refers to a slowdown in the rate of increase of general price levels, as opposed to deflation, where the general price level of goods and services decreases.