Bitcoin’s Next Move Comes Down to the Fed? | Trading The Market: September 16, 2026

Chris Bullock discusses the implications of the Clarity Act, noting that while its passing would have positively impacted the crypto market, it is not the foundation of the current bull market. He emphasizes that the Clarity Act is not dead but on pause, with the SEC and CFTC engaged in rulemaking that aligns with its objectives, although this process remains subject to change.

Bullock predicts a 25 basis point hike from the FOMC meeting, which he believes would decrease long-end bond yields. He warns that if no hike occurs, it could lead to short-term volatility in risk assets and reinforce the long-term debasement thesis for Bitcoin. Conversely, a hike accompanied by signals of further increases would also create volatility but ultimately support Bitcoin's long-term narrative.

The discussion highlights that Bitcoin's appeal primarily stems from the debasement trade, while other cryptocurrencies are influenced by factors like the Clarity Act and SEC rulemaking. The market's reaction to bond yields, particularly the 10-year and 30-year, will be crucial in assessing the FOMC meeting's impact on risk assets.

Ethereum is noted to be performing well against Bitcoin, with year-to-date figures showing Bitcoin experiencing net outflows of 2.2 billion, while Ethereum has net inflows of 586 million. The speaker suggests that Ethereum is currently the better investment compared to Bitcoin, although not all altcoins may benefit from Ethereum's rise.

Ryan predicts growth in the tokenization of securities, which is expected to favor Ethereum in the long term. He points out that major exchange CEOs advocating for tokenization indicates significant progress in this market transition. Larry Fink's discussions about Bitcoin are anticipated to gain traction, positively influencing the broader market.

The speaker advises that investing in Bitcoin has evolved beyond a speculative approach, suggesting that options trading could be a viable strategy to mitigate downside risk. Hyperliquid is highlighted for its growth and plans to deploy on-chain perpetual contracts in the US starting in January, with a partnership with Kraken that allows users to trade without needing to understand the underlying technology.

Zcash is noted for its strong performance, benefiting Nir, which uniquely allows native trading of private Zcash transactions. Venice is achieving all-time highs due to real-world AI usage, while Uniswap is down compared to last week but remains above previous breakout levels. The importance of risk management in trading is emphasized, with Ripple's creation aimed at helping traders manage risk more effectively.

New traders often face execution gaps in trading, which can lead to significant losses. Ripple is addressing this issue by simplifying automated and copy trading while ensuring users maintain control over their strategies. The platform emphasizes risk management, allowing users to customize their trading strategies and set maximum allocations.

Ripple is working on integrating Schwab as a brokerage option, which is expected to enhance its trading capabilities. Users can create exclusion lists for specific tickers and have the ability to cancel orders if market conditions change. The platform also features a warning system for elevated risk due to slippage, a common issue that can impact execution prices.

The imposed ripple limit is set at 25%, and users are advised not to exceed this threshold. Exit rules, including stop losses and take profits, are essential components of effective trading strategies. Ripple aims to keep user exposure low while maintaining position ratios and plans to integrate with hyperliquids for improved liquidity management.

Distinct dynamics in crypto markets compared to traditional finance are acknowledged, and the platform may expand to include on-chain functionalities over time. Additionally, Ripple intends to curate a list of profitable hyperliquid wallets for user convenience and is exploring automation for sports betting based on user-defined criteria.

The trading community is expected to see an increase in self-builders due to advancements in AI, and Ripple is considering collaborations with established systematic traders. Chris highlighted the importance of monitoring the 10-year and 30-year yields for market movements and mentioned his work with Chat GPT-6 Astra, which he finds impressive. He plans to demo some of his builds on Monday.