Crypto Markets Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Decision; HBAR Leads Altcoin Gains

Crypto markets paused on Tuesday after Monday’s strong rally, with bitcoin holding firm near $114,500 and ether easing slightly amid investor caution ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve policy decision.

Bitcoin (BTC) traded around $114,500, little changed over the past 24 hours, while ether (ETH) slipped back to $4,120 after briefly touching higher levels the previous day.

The consolidation comes as traders await Wednesday’s Fed interest-rate announcement, which could set the tone for broader risk assets through the end of the quarter. Market sentiment also remained buoyed by growing optimism over an imminent U.S.-China trade agreement, a development that lifted equities and risk appetite globally on Monday.

Altcoins saw mixed performance, with several large-cap tokens retracing part of their earlier gains. However, Hedera’s HBAR and Bittensor’s TAO outperformed, each posting double-digit intraday gains, supported by renewed investor interest and fresh ETF speculation in the sector.