Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple News Today: Federal Reserve Meeting and Clariity Act Outlook

Most decisive week of 2026: Senate CLARITY bill vote and Federal Reserve interest rate decision approach

Crypto traders are entering the most critical week of 2026. The Senate's CLARITY Act vote and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision will be implemented in less than 24 hours. In the latest developments in Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP, the three major assets are trading cautiously, and the market is waiting for the results of these two macro events.

The Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote on the bill on Tuesday, September 15. The bill needs 60 votes to cross the threshold of "closing debate" and enter formal debate. The Federal Reserve is closely behind, with its policy meeting scheduled for September 15 - 16, and the interest rate announcement is expected to be released at 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Recently, as the market's wait-and-see attitude about two major events heats up, the trading performance of Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP has been more cautious.

Why could the CLARITY Act vote shake the crypto market?

Tuesday's vote is not the final word on the CLARITY Act. This is a procedural "closing debate" vote designed to determine whether the Senate can continue with formal debate and amendment consideration.

Senate Republicans have released what they call the "final, best and final" version of the bill. The version includes ethics clauses supported by President Trump. The legislation has been significantly expanded since an earlier draft. The revision, released on September 10, is 630 pages long and includes more than 114 provisions proposed by Democrats, including new rules for certain non-decentralized financial agreements.

Market reactions to the prospects of bill passage have been mixed. Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said based on conversations he had with lawmakers and congressional staff, the bill was effectively "dead." In contrast, Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad is more optimistic, saying he is still encouraged by the bipartisan negotiations and believes there is still a path to 60 votes. Ripple's chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty described September 15 as a "critical test" for the legislation.

Senator Cynthia Lummis also joined the speculation, posting on Platform X that there would be a "big event" before the vote, but did not specify. Many in the crypto industry interpreted this post as a signal related to the bill.

The probability of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates jumped to 86.5%

According to data from the FedWatch tool, the current market pricing probability that the Federal Reserve will raise its target interest rate by 25 basis points is 86.5%. This number has changed dramatically in the past month.

This shift stems from a 3.4% year-on-year increase in the consumer price index (CPI) in August, above the Federal Reserve's target. If government bond yields and the US dollar rise due to expectations of interest rate hikes, it may put pressure on Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP; and the central bank's moderate stance may alleviate this pressure.

In addition, the Bank of Japan is expected to raise its own interest rates on September 18. A stronger yen could put additional pressure on U.S. assets linked to yen carry trade.

Why may XRP experience the greatest price fluctuations?

Of the three assets, the price may have the most dramatic reaction to the CLARITY Act vote, given XRP's long-standing legal dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is one of the most-watched topics in XRP news this week.

A successful vote will not immediately reclassify XRP, but market participants believe it may reduce some of the uncertainty that has suppressed the token for years. However, this reaction is not inevitable. Some of the expected good news may have been digested by the market in advance. Even if the vote is successful, there may be a trend of "buying expectations and selling facts".

The situation for Bitcoin is different. The CLARITY Act mainly affects Bitcoin by clarifying the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)'s regulation of commodity trading platforms, which is a detail worth following in this month's Bitcoin news. Ethereum may benefit from a clear definition of the token path, where tokens were initially considered securities, but gradually shifted to commodity treatment as the network became more decentralized.

XRP gained support at $1.35, but focus on $1.38

Despite macro uncertainties, XRP remained firm and found support at $1.35. About 2.29 billion coins had previously changed hands at this level, and buying interest often surged here.

Chart analyst Ali Charts pointed out on X that the token is forming a downward triangle on the hourly chart, with the lower highs compressed into the $1.31 to $1.35 area. According to analysts,$1.38 is the most critical price.

If this level is recovered, the trend will point to the apex of the triangle, with room to move to $1.60 and possibly even $1.68. Conversely, a break below the $1.31 floor could trigger a crash and open the door for further declines.

Traders following developments this week said the $1.31 to $1.38 range is the area where Senate votes, Fed decisions and Bank of Japan meetings are most likely to leave a mark on prices.

What happens if the CLARITY Act fails to pass?

The failed "closing debate" vote does not mean that the crypto market will be unregulated. Existing securities and commodity laws will remain in effect, and the SEC, CFTC, courts and states will retain their existing powers.

Industry groups argue that long-term regulatory uncertainty could push companies, jobs and capital outside the U.S., and that if the U.S. establishes a framework, it could serve as a model for other countries when drafting their own digital asset rules.

Will Bitcoin rebound this week? What Analysts Say

Cryptocurrency analyst Tony pointed out that bullish divergences have formed on the Bitcoin chart and that the dominance of stablecoins has weakened, and he believes the market may be consolidating rather than entering a deeper downward trend. This is one of the most controversial points in Bitcoin news this week.

He also refuted predictions based on four-year cycle theory that Bitcoin would fall to $30,000 to $40,000 in October, saying current technical conditions did not support this scenario.

Can Ethereum really reach $3,000?

Ethereum's chart tells a clearer bullish story, making it a highlight in Ethereum news this week. The token bottomed out around $1,900 between June and July, then broke through sharply, and has since been trading between $2,400 and $2,520, remaining above the 20-day exponential moving average (approximately $2,439), while the 50-day, 100-day and 200-day moving averages are well below the current price.

Analysts are closely watching several key levels this week. A close above $2,520 to $2,530 would pave the way to $2,650 to $2,750, and breaking through that range would bring $2,850 to $3,000 into view.

On the downside, losing support at $2,400 could risk sliding towards $2,300 to $2,265, while a break below $2,265 would completely undermine the bullish argument.

One technical detail worth noting. Ali Charts marked the recurring triangular pattern on the 12-hour chart and pointed out that the last time the pattern broke through, Ethereum rose 31% in three days. A second triangle has now formed, with Ethereum trading below the resistance level close to $2,474. If the pattern repeats, it is possible to move towards $3,000, analysts said, although repeated patterns break as frequently as breakthroughs. Analysts describe it as a set-up rather than a guarantee.

Loss on closing positions reaches US$177 million in 24 hours

Leveraged traders were hit hard the previous day, which quickly became the top story in Ethereum news and Bitcoin news. According to CoinGlass data, positions worth $177.33 million were liquidated, including $114.98 million in long positions and $62.35 million in short positions.

Ethereum accounted for the largest share, with a clearing amount of US$38.15 million, most of which were long positions. Bitcoin followed closely with $30.28 million. LSK lost $14.5 million, ZEC lost $9.64 million, and all other tokens increased by $23.94 million.

The pace of liquidation accelerated sharply in the last few hours. CoinGlass data showed that $11.7 million was liquidated in the last hour alone, of which $10.59 million was long positions.

Within four hours, the total reached US$30.81 million and within twelve hours climbed to US$116.33 million, divided into US$79.51 million long and US$36.83 million short. According to exchange data, approximately 73,735 traders were cleared within 24 hours. The largest single clearing was a US$4.46 million ETHUSDT order on Binance.

Moods cooled down, but not cold

On Sunday, September 14, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index was 57, still in the "greedy" range, but lower than 61 the previous day and 71 a week ago. It's a useful indicator for anyone following this week's XRP news or the broader market.

The overall trend is still pointing upward. A month ago, the index was in the "fear" range of 34, which means that despite a slight easing on the eve of the Fed's decision, overall sentiment has improved significantly.

There are now three major events happening in four days: the CLARITY Act vote on the 15th, the Federal Reserve interest rate decision on the 16th, and the Bank of Japan meeting on the 18th. Analysts said a successful Senate vote combined with a less aggressive Fed could boost sentiment in Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP, while a failed vote combined with a hawkish Fed could have the opposite effect.

Currently, traders are closely watching what happens next in Washington and the Federal Reserve.