Crypto News Today, 17th March : Bitcoin Price, Meme coins, XRP News, FOMC Meeting, FED Interest Rate

The U.S. Federal Reserve’s next meeting is set for Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 02:00 PM UTC, and traders expect interest rates to remain unchanged at 4.25%-4.5%, with a 98% probability per the CME FedWatch Tool. This meeting follows a period of cooling inflation, which has contributed to market stability despite ongoing global uncertainties—including tariff-induced shocks. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference at 02:30 PM UTC is anticipated to provide further clarity on the bank’s stance. While no immediate rate cuts are expected, market watchers note that any future easing could fuel a bullish turnaround for crypto assets, with Bitcoin already showing signs of recovery.

Bitcoin (BTC) struggled to break above $84K early Monday, while popular altcoins like Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and Litecoin (LTC) experienced minor dips and gains. The overall Market Fear & Greed Index was at 22 (Fear) out of 100, indicating prevailing market pessimism. In 24 hours, BinaryX (BNX) led with a nearly 54% surge, whereas Movement (MOVE) suffered a 7% drop. At the time of writing, the global crypto market cap was $2.72 trillion, marking a 1.29% decline over the past day.

Driven by the recent surge in memecoins like Mubarak, BNB Chain’s DEX has recorded an impressive $1.64 billion in trading volume over the past 24 hours, overtaking Solana to claim the top spot. Simultaneously, PancakeSwap—BNB Chain’s flagship decentralized exchange—has also emerged as the highest volume DEX during the same period. These strong figures underscore BNB Chain’s growing influence in the DeFi space, as increased liquidity and active trading in memecoins continue to draw investor attention.