BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL Slip Ahead of Warsh’s First FOMC

The crypto market traded on the back foot on Tuesday as investors reduced risk ahead of the Federal Reserve’s June policy decision, the first FOMC meeting chaired by Kevin Warsh. CoinMarketCap data showed the total crypto market capitalization at $2.23 trillion, down 1.58% on the day, while 24-hour market volume fell 18.45% to $70.09 billion. Sentiment also stayed weak, with the Fear & Greed Index at 23, firmly in “Fear” territory.

The caution comes as the Federal Reserve’s June 16–17 meeting heads into its final day. According to the Fed’s official calendar, the FOMC decision is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET on June 17, followed by Warsh’s press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Top coins trade mixed, but broader tone stays weak

Among the largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Solana were all in the red at the time of writing, while BNB was one of the few large-cap tokens holding modest gains.

Spot market snapshot

That price action suggests traders are not making aggressive directional bets before the Fed speaks. Even where weekly performance remains positive, intraday flows show investors locking in gains and shifting to a wait-and-see stance.

Why Warsh’s first FOMC matters

This is an important meeting for crypto and other risk assets because it is Kevin Warsh’s first FOMC meeting as Chair. A Conference Board preview said the Fed is widely expected to leave policy rates unchanged at the June 16–17 meeting, with markets paying close attention to how Warsh handles policy communication in his debut appearance as chair.

The backdrop also matters. In its last policy decision on April 29, the Fed said economic activity had been expanding at a solid pace, inflation remained elevated, and uncertainty was high. The Committee then kept the federal funds target range at 3.5% to 3.75%.

For crypto traders, that means the market is less focused on the rate decision itself and more focused on Warsh’s tone. If he sounds hawkish or signals fewer cuts ahead, crypto could remain under pressure. If he opens the door to easier policy later this year, traders may treat it as a risk-on trigger.

Liquidations show leveraged longs are getting hit

Derivatives data shows the pressure has been heavier on bullish traders.

According to the Coinglass data, total liquidations reached $284.73 million over the past 24 hours. Of that, $215.20 million came from long positions, compared with $69.53 million from shorts. In the last 12 hours alone, liquidations stood at $140.60 million, again dominated by longs at $109.03 million.

Live Crypto Trading Updates:

• 83,314 traders were liquidated in 24 hours
• The largest single liquidation was a BTCUSDT order on Binance worth $4.96 million
• Bitcoin led the liquidation heatmap with $74.60 million
• Ethereum followed with $68.83 million

That imbalance tells a clear story: the market had leaned too heavily long into the Fed meeting, and even a mild pullback was enough to flush leveraged positions.

What this means for the market

The weakness across majors ahead of Warsh’s first FOMC meeting does not yet point to panic, but it does show a clear drop in risk appetite. Volume is down, sentiment is fearful, and liquidations are hitting longs harder than shorts. That usually signals a market unwilling to chase upside until macro uncertainty clears.

For now, traders should watch two things closely: the Fed’s rate decision and Warsh’s press conference. If both come in line with expectations, crypto could attempt a relief move. But if the new chair delivers a tougher message on inflation and policy, the current pullback in BTC, ETH, XRP and SOL may deepen before any rebound begins.

Also Read: Bitcoin Has Dropped After 8 of 9 Fed Meetings — Will Today be Different?

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