Cryptocurrency News: Friday, July 31, 2026 — Bitcoin Holds at $64,000 After Fed's Hawkish Pause, and Capital Flows Back into Spot ETFs
The cryptocurrency market is closing July in a state of tense equilibrium. The Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates while adopting a hawkish tone has set the tone for trading worldwide — from New York to Singapore. Bitcoin is defending the psychological mark of $64,000, spot Bitcoin ETFs have shown a net capital inflow for the first time in several days, and altcoins are demonstrating mixed dynamics. The total market capitalization of digital assets hovers around $2.29 trillion. Let’s analyze the key events and quotes from the top 10 cryptocurrencies that will shape investor sentiment in the final trading session of the month.
Key Highlights of the Day: A Quick Overview for Investors
- The U.S. Fed has maintained the interest rate in the range of 3.50–3.75% with a vote of 9 to 3 — for the first time since 2016, three committee members voiced support for a hike.
- Bitcoin is trading at $64,000 following a volatile move 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, interrupting a streak of outflows; the IBIT fund led the way.
- Ethereum funds, on the other hand, lost about $18.65 million as ETH's market dominance continues to decline.
- Forced liquidations over the past day amounted to around $280–316 million, affecting about 90,000 traders.
- The U.S. Senate was unable to review the CLARITY Act before the August recess — market participants assess the chances of passing the document this year as significantly lower than a month ago.
Fed's Decision: A Pause with a Hawkish Emphasis
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on July 29 left the key interest rate in the 3.50–3.75% corridor. Formally, this is a pause; however, the details of the voting alarmed investors: three regional Fed presidents advocated for a 25 basis point increase. Such a widespread hawkish dissent has not been observed in a decade. The regulator cites persistent inflation around 4.1% and ongoing economic growth — a combination that delays the prospect of easing monetary policy.
An additional pressure factor was the report that the public debt of the U.S. exceeded 100% of GDP for the first time since World War II. Treasury yields increased, stock indices diverged in dynamics, and cryptocurrencies remained in a sideways range awaiting a new catalyst. For digital assets, which are sensitive to global liquidity, a prolonged period of high rates signifies a restrained risk appetite — yet the absence of panic sell-offs indicates market maturity.
Bitcoin: Defending the $64,000 Threshold
The first cryptocurrency reacted to the regulator's decision classically: a swift rise from $63,700 to nearly $64,700 was followed by profit-taking, after which quotes stabilized around $64,000. Technically, the picture appears as follows:
- The nearest support is in the $63,000–63,500 zone, which buyers have held throughout the week.
- Resistance is found at the $66,000 mark, representing recent local highs in July.
- BTC’s market capitalization stands at around $1.28 trillion, securing the asset's dominant position in the market.
Bitcoin remains nearly 49% away from its historical high of $126,080, and 2026 continues to be a prolonged correction period for the asset. Nevertheless, the return of institutional demand through ETFs, the absence of panic sales, and confirmed plans from the White House to create a strategic cryptocurrency reserve form the basis for a potential turnaround in the second half of the year.
ETF Flows: Institutions Opt for Bitcoin
ETF statistics from July 29 showed a significant rotation of capital:
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs: a net inflow of $32.1 million — the first positive result after a multi-day series of outflows.
- Ethereum ETFs: an outflow of approximately $18.65 million, continuing recent weeks' trend.
- Solana ETFs: an inflow of around $19 million — one of the best results among altcoin funds.
- XRP products: a symbolic yet positive inflow of approximately $0.58 million.
The divergence in flows confirms that, in an environment of 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 is trading near $1,900, and its market share continues to decline as capital flows back into Bitcoin. However, the fundamental metrics of the network remain robust: more than 2.5 million ETH — about 2% of the circulating supply — await entry into staking, forming a validator queue of around 44 days with virtually no demand for exit. An additional institutional boost could 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 within the network.
Top 10 Cryptocurrencies: Current Quotes and Dynamics
The situation in the top ten by capitalization as of Friday morning appears as follows:
- Bitcoin (BTC) — around $64,000; consolidation under resistance at $66,000, capitalization ≈ $1.28 trillion.
- Ethereum (ETH) — around $1,900; sideways movement amid declining dominance.
- Tether (USDT) — stable at $1; a key liquidity instrument for the market.
- BNB (BNB) — around $572; support for quotes is provided by the 36th quarterly burn, which removed 1.62 million coins from circulation.
- XRP (XRP) — around $1.08; consolidation in the range of $1.05–1.11.
- Solana (SOL) — around $74; buyers are defending the $73–74 zone, with funds in SOL attracting capital.
- USD Coin (USDC) — stable coin, the second most significant dollar asset in the market.
- TRON (TRX) — around $0.32; one of the few major assets with positive dynamics since the beginning of the year due to its leadership in USDT transfers.
- Dogecoin (DOGE) — around $0.069; the meme sector 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 did not resolve in favor of the industry: the U.S. Senate was unable to bring the CLARITY Act on cryptocurrency market structure to a vote before the August break. Market participants sharply lowered the probability of the document's passage by the end of the year. However, the regulatory backdrop remains generally constructive: the SEC and CFTC previously confirmed that 16 major digital assets are not securities, and the U.S. administration has officially committed to forming a strategic reserve in Bitcoin. Investors should expect a pause in regulatory news until September.
Security and Corporate News
The industry reminded stakeholders of persistent operational risks. The Ostium platform disclosed information about an over-the-counter hack amounting to $24 million, emphasizing that smart contracts were not affected. A hack of the verified account of Senator Cynthia Lummis on the social media platform X, used to promote a fraudulent meme token, raised concerns about phishing attacks on public figures once again. On the corporate front, Hyperliquid attracted its first Japanese corporate buyer of tokens, and the Luno exchange announced another round of staff reductions as part of its restructuring.
Friday Forecast: What Will Drive the Market
The last trading day of July will be marked by macroeconomic statistics: investors are awaiting data on inflation and consumer spending in the U.S., which will clarify the trajectory of the Fed's rate. The baseline scenario for Bitcoin is trading in the $63,000–66,000 range. A breakout above the upper boundary, supported by inflows into ETFs, will pave the way for growth, while strong macro data could return quotes to weekly lows. For medium-term investors, key benchmarks remain unchanged: BTC's stability above $63,000, stabilization of ETH above $1,860, and continued institutional inflows will serve as initial signals for building a base for market recovery in the second half of 2026.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute individual investment advice. Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile asset class: assess risks independently when making investment decisions.
