Bitcoin Surpasses $91,500 Ahead of Crucial December 9-10 Federal Reserve Rate Decision

The global cryptocurrency market experienced a strong surge on Monday, December 8, 2025, highlighted by Bitcoin (BTC) breaking the significant threshold of $91,500. This upward momentum was largely fueled by widespread market optimism preceding the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) two-day meeting, scheduled for December 9th and 10th. Monetary policy announcements from the Fed, particularly concerning the benchmark interest rate, invariably exert considerable influence over risk assets, including digital currencies, as these decisions dictate the cost of capital and overall financial system liquidity.

During Monday morning trading, Bitcoin climbed past the $91,304 mark, posting a gain of 1.86%. This rally represented a recovery after the coin spent the preceding weekend trading below the $90,000 level. Ethereum (ETH) also demonstrated robust performance, appreciating by approximately 3.3% to reach $3,133. The total capitalization of the crypto market expanded by 2.2%, hitting $3.2 trillion, with a commanding 90 out of the top 100 cryptocurrencies trading in positive territory. This macroeconomic backdrop coincided with a softening of the US dollar; the Dollar Index (DXY) eased by 0.15% to 98.84 points by Monday morning, aligning with the historical inverse correlation observed between BTC and the strength of the American currency.

Within the privacy coin sector, performance was decidedly mixed. Zcash (ZEC) emerged as a top performer among the top 100 assets, surging by 9.2% to reach $370. This gain contrasted sharply with Monero (XMR), which had recently overtaken ZEC in market capitalization but saw its value decline by nearly 2%, settling around $372. Zcash had previously experienced substantial growth late in November, soaring over 200% amid renewed investor interest in privacy-enhancing assets. Conversely, sectors such as meme coins, metaverse tokens, and Celestia (TIA) represented the weaker segments of the market during this period.

Market sentiment strongly anticipates a dovish outcome from the upcoming FOMC meeting. Data from CME Group indicates that the probability of a 25-basis-point (0.25%) reduction in the key interest rate stands at approximately 87% for the December 9–10 session. The current federal funds rate range is set between 3.75% and 4%, meaning an expected drop to 3.50%–3.75% would constitute the third consecutive cut in 2025, following reductions implemented in September and October. Nevertheless, despite the high likelihood of a rate cut, uncertainties persist regarding the necessity of such a move, particularly given incomplete economic data stemming from the recent government shutdown, which reportedly caused internal divisions among FOMC members.

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin is currently testing resistance levels near last week’s high of $94,200. The critical barrier preventing further sustained upward movement remains firmly established at $97,100. Historically, periods of low Federal Reserve rates have provided a tailwind for risk assets, mirroring the environment of zero rates seen in 2020–2021, whereas policy tightening in 2022–2023 led to price depreciation. Investor focus is now keenly fixed on the press conference scheduled for December 10th, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell is expected to offer forward guidance on monetary policy for 2026, a statement that could decisively shape the market’s short-term trajectory.