Fed Rate Cuts May Spark Altcoin Losses, Schiff Flags QE Threat to Dollar

The crypto market tightened this week as traders positioned ahead of the Federal Reserve’s expected rate cut. Bitcoin stalled near $116,000, meeting resistance that triggered selling pressure. Altcoins such as XRP, Solana (SOL), and Dogecoin (DOGE) fell harder, with analysts warning volatility could increase before policy clarity arrives.

Why it matters:

In the past 24 hours, crypto liquidations reached about $240M, with ~$176M in long liquidations (leveraged futures positions), classic “sell-the-news” positioning after last week’s squeeze. That mix tells you longs were leaning in; the unwind hit alts harder than BTC.

Since 2000, the week after triple witching has averaged -1.17% for the S&P 500. If that seasonality bites again, desks map BTC down ~5–8% with alts 15–20% given higher beta and thinner books. That’s the risk case the market is handicapping into the Fed.

Why it matters:

While many traders anticipate that rate cuts could fuel renewed demand for risk assets, economist and investor Peter Schiff argued that the decision represents a “huge mistake.”

In a on X, he pointed to rising prices in gold and silver as indicators that markets are already pricing in the policy change. Silver recently crossed $42, while gold neared record highs.

Schiff predicts that the shift will not stop at a single reduction but could trigger a pattern of cuts combined with quantitative easing measures. He stated that definitive yield curve control might follow, with big implications for the U.S. dollar’s role as the global reserve currency.

“Ever since Alan Greenspan rescued the stock market after the 1987 crash, the Fed has made a series of growing bad monetary policy mistakes,” Schiff wrote. He described the current environment as potentially the most damaging yet.

The outcome of the Federal Reserve’s decision could impact both traditional and digital markets. With Bitcoin struggling to hold momentum above key levels and altcoins showing retracements, traders now await confirmation of whether rate relief will support risk assets, or deepen existing market corrections.