Crypto Market Defies Rate Hike Expectations with Unexpected Gains

The Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates for the first time in three years had an unexpected effect on the crypto market. Instead of selling off, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana all rose in value over the past week.

According to CoinMarketCap data as of September 21st, 2026, Bitcoin (BTC) increased by 4.87% to $81,351.77, while Ethereum (ETH) gained 5.80% to $2,660.11. Solana (SOL), however, led the pack with a whopping 10.03% rise to $111.15.

This divergence from the traditional market's reaction to rate hikes is attributed to the removal of uncertainty after the Federal Reserve's announcement. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.75-4.00%, as expected, but investors seem more focused on the potential for further increases rather than the actual rate hike.

The Solana network saw a significant increase in active addresses, reaching 5.85 million on average over the past seven days. This suggests that investor interest and activity are recovering, albeit still below the peak of late 2024.