Asia Morning Briefing: Fed Cut Brings Little Volatility as Bitcoin Waits for Japan

Good Morning, Asia. Here's what's making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk's Crypto Daybook Americas.

Bitcoin held its footing as Hong Kong began its business day, trading above $91,000, after the Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points and acknowledged elevated uncertainty around the U.S. outlook.

The calm reflects more than central bank action. In its most recent report, CryptoQuant writes that exchange inflows have dropped sharply from November highs and whales have scaled back deposits, reducing near-term sell pressure and allowing the market to settle into a narrow range.

CryptoQuant also highlights that whales realized losses of more than $600 million when BTC first broke below $100,000, followed by an estimated $3.2 billion in cumulative losses. Short-term holders have been selling at negative profit margins since mid-November, a pattern that typically appears only after sentiment has already capitulated. Historically, that combination signals the point where selling pressure begins to exhaust itself.

That backdrop has kept Bitcoin pinned around $92,000 despite several macro catalysts.

QCP says the current stability should not be confused with conviction. The desk describes a market still in a holding pattern, noting that ETF inflows have improved only modestly and derivatives positioning remains cautious.

Attention is now shifting to Tokyo, where prediction markets overwhelmingly expect a 25-basis-point hike at the December 19 Bank of Japan meeting. QCP argues that the next major driver sits in the country, where long-end JGB yields are pressing multi-decade highs and policymakers have signaled discomfort with the speed of the move.

The market is steady today, although the path forward now depends on how Japan’s decision reshapes global risk appetite.

Market Movement

BTC: Bitcoin spent the session moving quietly between $91,000 and $92,000, showing little reaction to the Fed cut, as onchain flows kept volatility contained.

ETH: Ether tracked the same muted tone, holding near $3,270 with no clear catalyst to break it out of its recent range.

Gold: Gold rose after the Fed’s rate cut despite lingering uncertainty over next year’s policy path, while silver hit a record as strong industrial demand and tight supply continued to lift prices.

Nikkei 225: Most Asia Pacific markets moved higher after the Fed’s third rate cut of the year, although Japan’s Nikkei 225 opened strong before slipping 0.11 percent.

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