Bitcoin Remains Steady, Navigates Delicate Balance with Leveraged Trading: Crypto Daybook Americas

By Francisco Rodrigues (All times ET unless specified otherwise) Bitcoin, currently at $85,399.00, has slightly retreated to approximately $114,500 as traders exercise caution ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision on Wednesday. Despite expectations of a rate cut, which could potentially boost risk assets like cryptocurrencies, markets are currently restrained. The Federal Reserve is anticipated to lower the benchmark rate by 25 basis points. However, for now, markets remain cautious. The CoinDesk 20 (CD20) index has seen minimal change over the past 24 hours, experiencing a loss of less than 0.1%, while bitcoin has dropped by 0.8%. Research analyst Lacie Zhang from Bitget Wallet noted that open interest in crypto futures has increased to nearly $30 billion from $25 billion over the past week. This rise in leveraged bets could lead to rapid price movements in either direction. Zhang described this situation as a 'double-edged sword,' which could amplify upward momentum above $112,000 but also increase liquidation risks below $110,000. Despite the short-term decline, bitcoin has seen a 6% increase over the past week, driven by optimism surrounding a potential US-China trade breakthrough and expectations of continued liquidity from the Federal Reserve. However, there are reasons to be cautious. Bankinter, a Spanish bank, warned that global markets may be overly confident. The bank stated that global stocks and real estate are interpreting every development as positive while ignoring underlying risks. The bank's analysts expressed concerns that markets may not consolidate levels or rest, which could lead to issues in 2026. They also predicted that near-term profit-taking is likely, given the new highs seen across various sectors. The next move will likely depend on the Federal Reserve's tone and the outcome of the meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week. Key Events to Watch For a comprehensive list of events this week, refer to CoinDesk's 'Crypto Week Ahead'. Token Events For a comprehensive list of events this week, refer to CoinDesk's 'Crypto Week Ahead'. Conferences For a comprehensive list of events this week, refer to CoinDesk's 'Crypto Week Ahead'. Token Talk By Oliver Knight Derivatives Positioning Market Movements Bitcoin Statistics Technical Analysis Crypto Equities Crypto Treasury Companies ETF Flows Spot BTC ETFs Spot ETH ETFs Source: Farside Investors While You Were Sleeping