Cryptocurrency News: Friday, July 31, 2026 — Bitcoin Holds Steady at $64,000 After the Fed's Hawkish Pause, with Capital Flowing Back into Spot ETFs
The cryptocurrency market concludes July in a state of precarious equilibrium. The U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates while adopting a hawkish rhetoric has set the tone for trading across the globe—from New York to Singapore. Bitcoin is defending the psychological barrier of $64,000, with spot Bitcoin ETFs seeing their first net inflow of capital in several days, while altcoins exhibit mixed dynamics. The total market capitalization of digital assets hovers around $2.29 trillion. We analyze key events and the prices of the top 10 cryptocurrencies that are likely to shape investor sentiment in the final trading session of the month.
Key Highlights of the Day: Quick Overview for Investors
- The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates in the range of 3.50% to 3.75% with a vote of 9 in favor and 3 against—marking the first time since 2016 that three committee members advocated for a rate increase.
- Bitcoin is trading at $64,000 after a volatile movement from $63,700 to $64,700 and back; the weekly low was around $62,400.
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of $32.1 million, ending a streak of outflows; the IBIT fund was the leader.
- Ethereum funds, by contrast, lost about $18.65 million—ETH's market dominance continues to decline.
- Liquidations over the past day amounted to approximately $280–316 million, affecting around 90,000 traders.
- The U.S. Senate did not manage to consider the CLARITY Act before the August recess—market participants gauge the chances of the bill's passage this year as significantly lower than a month ago.
Fed's Decision: A Pause with a Hawkish Undertone
On July 29, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left the key interest rate unchanged in the 3.50%–3.75% range. While this decision is formally a pause, the details of the vote alarmed investors: three regional Federal Reserve presidents voted for a 25 basis point increase. Such a widespread hawkish dissent has not been seen in a decade. The regulator cites persistent inflation around 4.1% and ongoing economic growth—conditions that delay the prospect of monetary easing.
An additional source of pressure emerged from news that U.S. public debt has exceeded 100% of GDP for the first time since World War II. Treasury yields rose, stock indices diverged in their performance, and cryptocurrencies remained in a sideways range awaiting a new catalyst. For digital assets, sensitive to global liquidity, an extended period of high rates signals a restrained risk appetite—but the absence of panic selling indicates a maturing market.
Bitcoin: Defending the $64,000 Threshold
The first cryptocurrency reacted to the regulator's decision in classic fashion: a sharp rally 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:
- Immediate support lies in the $63,000–63,500 zone, which buyers have maintained throughout the week.
- Resistance is established around $66,000, reflecting recent local highs in July.
- BTC's market capitalization stands at approximately $1.28 trillion, solidifying the asset's dominant position in the market.
Bitcoin remains nearly 49% away from its all-time high of $126,080, and 2026 continues to be a protracted period of correction for the asset. Nevertheless, the resurgence of institutional demand through ETFs, the absence of panic sales, and confirmed plans from the White House to create a strategic cryptocurrency reserve form a foundation for a potential turnaround in the second half of the year.
ETF Flows: Institutions Opt for Bitcoin
ETF statistics on July 29 recorded a notable rotation of capital:
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs: net inflow of $32.1 million—the first positive result after several consecutive days of outflows.
- Ethereum ETFs: outflow of approximately $18.65 million, continuing trends from recent weeks.
- Solana ETFs: inflow of about $19 million—one of the best results among altcoin funds.
- XRP products: a nominal but positive inflow of around $0.58 million.
The divergence in flows confirms that amid macroeconomic uncertainty, institutional investors are returning to "digital gold," reducing their exposure to Ethereum. Meanwhile, interest in Solana indicates a selective rather than total retreat from altcoins.
Ethereum: Pressure on Dominance and Staking Queue
Ether trades near $1,900, with its market share continuing to decline as capital flows into Bitcoin. However, fundamental network metrics remain strong: over 2.5 million ETH—approximately 2% of the circulating supply—are awaiting entry into staking, forming a validator queue approximately 44 days long with virtually no demand for exit. An additional institutional boost may come from the launch of cash payouts for staking rewards from the Grayscale fund, expected in early August. For long-term investors, this signals that despite weak price dynamics, "smart money" continues to lock ETH in the network.
Top 10 Cryptocurrencies: Current Prices and Dynamics
The situation in the top ten by market capitalization as of Friday morning appears as follows:
- Bitcoin (BTC) — around $64,000; consolidation below resistance at $66,000, market cap ≈ $1.28 trillion.
- Ethereum (ETH) — around $1,900; sideways movement amid declining dominance.
- Tether (USDT) — stable at $1; key liquidity instrument of the market.
- BNB (BNB) — around $572; supported by the 36th quarterly burn, removing 1.62 million coins from circulation.
- XRP (XRP) — around $1.08; consolidation in the $1.05–1.11 range.
- Solana (SOL) — around $74; buyers are defending the $73–74 zone, SOL funds attract capital.
- USD Coin (USDC) — stable coin, the second most significant dollar asset in the market.
- TRON (TRX) — around $0.32; one of the few large assets with positive dynamics since the beginning of the year, thanks 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 Recess
The key legislative intrigue of the month resolved unfavorably for the industry: the U.S. Senate did not manage to bring the CLARITY Act on cryptocurrency market structure to a vote before the August recess. Market participants sharply lowered forecasts for the bill's chances of passage by the end of the year. Nonetheless, the regulatory backdrop remains constructive overall: the SEC and CFTC previously confirmed that the 16 largest digital assets are not securities, and the U.S. administration officially affirmed its aim to create a strategic reserve in Bitcoin. Investors should anticipate a pause in regulatory news until September.
Security and Corporate News
The industry has been reminded of ongoing operational risks. The Ostium platform disclosed information about an over-the-counter hack totaling $24 million, emphasizing that smart contracts were not compromised. A hack of verified Senator Cynthia Lummis' account on X, which was used to promote a fraudulent meme token, has once again raised concerns about phishing attacks targeting public figures. On the corporate front, Hyperliquid secured its first Japanese corporate buyer of tokens, while the Luno exchange announced yet another round of layoffs as part of its restructuring.
Friday Forecast: What Will Move the Market
The last trading day of July will be marked by macroeconomic statistics: investors are awaiting U.S. inflation and consumer spending data, which will clarify the Fed's rate trajectory. The base scenario for Bitcoin is trading within the range of $63,000–66,000. A breakout above the upper boundary, supported by ETF inflows, would pave the way for growth, while tough macro data could pull prices back to weekly lows. For medium-term investors, key benchmarks remain unchanged: BTC's resilience above $63,000, stabilization of ETH above $1,860, and continued institutional inflows will be the first signals for forming a base for market recovery in the latter half of 2026.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute individual investment recommendations. Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile asset class: when making investment decisions, assess risks independently.
