Bitcoin held near USD 77,000 on Monday as cryptocurrency markets prepared for a crucial Federal Reserve meeting this week. Rate markets placed an 85% chance on a 25-basis-point increase. The cryptocurrency traded between roughly USD 77,000 and USD 77,200 during Monday morning. Bitcoin also remained about 6% below its three-month high above USD 82,000 earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Ethereum traded near USD 2,540, while Solana held above USD 101. CoinDesk's market snapshot showed Ethereum gaining about 2.9% and Solana rising 1.4%, while Bitcoin slipped slightly.

Fed Rate Decision Takes Center Stage

Traders now await the Federal Reserve's September 15-16 meeting after stronger inflation data changed expectations. August consumer prices increased 0.4% from July and 3.4% from a year earlier.

As a result, interest-rate markets moved toward expecting another rate increase. The probability of a 25-basis-point increase climbed to roughly 85% before the meeting.

Higher rates can affect cryptocurrency markets since Treasury securities become more attractive to investors seeking yield. At the same time, borrowing costs rise for leveraged and speculative positions.

Goldman Sachs also reportedly abandoned its previous forecast for unchanged rates. The bank instead shifted toward expecting a 25-basis-point increase as persistent inflation strengthened the case for tighter policy.

Altcoins Rise as Technology Stocks Retreat

Crypto markets showed relative strength even as technology shares weakened. Bitcoin gained about 1% over 24 hours to roughly USD 77,800, while Ether rose about 1% to USD 2,500. In contrast, the Invesco QQQ ETF fell 1.5% in U.S. pre-market trading. South Korea's KOSPI dropped 3%, while memory-chip producer SK Hynix declined 6%.

Those moves followed renewed concerns about artificial intelligence development. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for slower development so safety measures could catch up.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk also voiced agreement. Separately, Anthropic reportedly selected Nasdaq for its expected IPO, while Altman said OpenAI would not go public in 2026.

Bitcoin had already faced pressure from hotter inflation, rising Treasury yields and higher oil prices. Those forces repeatedly blocked attempts to reclaim the USD 80,000 level.

Read More: Bitcoin ETF Outflows Return as BTC Struggles Near USD 80,000

Bitcoin Faces USD 81,700 Breakout Test

Bitcoin briefly approached USD 80,000 after Friday's consumer inflation figures before giving back much of the advance. Traders now face a narrow range before the Federal Reserve decision. CryptoQuant identified approximately USD 81,700 as the next major level Bitcoin must clear before a new bullish phase gains stronger confirmation.

The analytics firm described Bitcoin's underlying trend as constructive after a roughly 24% rebound across two weeks. Still, several resistance levels remain above the current price. Additional resistance sits near USD 83,600 and USD 88,700. On the downside, CryptoQuant identified USD 70,000 as a potential support level.

A stronger accumulation area sits between USD 62,000 and USD 65,000. Long-term holders have accumulated about 476,000 Bitcoin around that broader zone this year. Can Bitcoin clear USD 81,700 while markets adjust to another Federal Reserve rate increase?

For now, Bitcoin remains between resistance near USD 80,000 to USD 82,000 and major support below the current market price.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin remains near USD 77,000 as traders prepare for a Federal Reserve decision that markets increasingly expect will deliver a 25-basis-point rate increase. Ethereum and Solana have outperformed Bitcoin, while USD 81,700 remains the key upside level and USD 70,000 marks important downside support.