Crypto Markets Weekly: Bitcoin Slips to $100.6K as Fed Caution Weighs, AI Tokens Stand Out

Bitcoin extended its losing streak this week, sliding to around $100,600 as renewed caution from the Federal Reserve dampened investor sentiment. Ether and most major altcoins also weakened, while AI-linked tokens continued to post outsized gains.

The broader crypto market remained under pressure Friday, compounding a week of declines. Bitcoin (BTC) last traded near $100,600, down from roughly $101,900, while Ether (ETH) hovered around $3,270, unable to sustain support above the $3,400 mark.

Bitcoin has now lost about 18% over the past 30 days, mirroring weakness across the market. Both the CoinDesk 5 Index (CD5) — tracking the largest, most actively traded tokens — and the CoinDesk 20 Index (CD20) have each fallen around 3% in the past 24 hours.

The recent downturn follows hawkish commentary from Federal Reserve officials earlier in the week, which suggested a potential slowdown in the rate-cutting cycle. That spurred gains in the U.S. dollar and renewed pressure on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.

Altcoins, excluding AI-related projects, have fared even worse than bitcoin. The Altcoin Season Index has dropped to 22/100, its lowest level in over three months — signaling continued dominance by bitcoin and waning momentum across smaller-cap tokens.