Bitcoin hovers near $113K as traders rotate into stablecoins and liquidity thins ahead of a likely Fed rate cut and potential balance sheet easing.
Bitcoin traded around $113,094, down 1.34% in 24 hours, as crypto markets awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve’s expected 25 bps rate cut with 99.9% implied probability. Traders shifted into USD stablecoins, cutting centralized exchange liquidity to 40% of pre-liquidation levels. BTC open interest remained at $26.8 billion, with funding rates diverging—Deribit at 24.64% annualized for longs and OKX at -3% for shorts—signaling heightened volatility. Options markets showed strong bullish sentiment, with the one-week 25-delta skew at 10% and calls at 60% of volume. Altcoins saw selective gains, led by TRUMP and AERO, while ETH and HBAR fell despite HBAR’s ETF debut. Liquidations totaled $514 million, mostly in ETH, BTC, and SOL. Analysts noted macro tailwinds and dovish Fed policy could set up a supportive Q4, though upcoming U.S.-China talks may add uncertainty.