The Federal Reserve’s upcoming FOMC meeting on May 7, 2025, is drawing serious attention from crypto investors. With interest rate decisions and Powell’s speech on the agenda, the market is on edge.
After a long pause following aggressive hikes in 2022–2023, the Fed began cutting rates in late 2024, bringing the current rate to 4.25%–4.50%. Now, with a 94% probability that the Fed will hold rates steady, investors are watching closely.
Despite strong job numbers, inflation remains slightly high, clouding the timeline for future cuts. Experts say more rate cuts may come later in 2025, but there’s still no clear roadmap.
Volatility Ahead of Powell Speech
Market analyst King Baldwin shared his pre-FOMC outlook on X, pointing to the high odds of no change in interest rates. However, he warns that a hawkish tone from the Fed could send Bitcoin down to a support zone between $91,500 and $92,000.
Jerome Powell Jerome Hayden “Jay” Powell is an American attorney and investment banker who has served since 2018 as the 16th chair of the Federal Reserve
Finance
signals a dovish stance or hints at near-term cuts, Bitcoin could rebound toward the $100,000 mark. Baldwin notes that Core PCE inflation stands at 2.6%, and recession odds are at 60%—both factors keeping investors cautious.
All eyes are now on Powell’s press conference, with hopes for a June rate cut signal.
Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe believes a rate cut is highly unlikely at this FOMC meeting. He suggests the Fed will stay cautious due to sticky inflation. A surprise cut would shock markets.
Donald Trump Donald Trump is an American former president politician, businessman, and media personality, who served as the 45th president of the U.S. between 2017 to 2021. Trump earned a Bachelor of science in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968. Trump won the 2016 presidential election as the Republican Party nominee against Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton while losing the popular vote. As president, Trump ordered a travel ban on citizens from several Muslim-majority countries, diverted military funding toward building a wall on the U.S.–Mexico border, and implemented a family separation policy. Trump has remained a prominent figure in the Republican Party and is considered a likely candidate for the 2024 presidential election
President
who continues to push for cuts amid rising tariffs. But the Federal Reserve is expected to focus on inflation control rather than bow to political pressure.
Crypto Market Braces for Powell’s Speech
Trump’s aggressive stance on trade and monetary policy is stirring debate about the Fed’s independence. With fiat volatility rising, many investors are turning back to Bitcoin as a hedge.
With Powell’s speech scheduled for May 7, both traditional and crypto markets are bracing for volatility. Analysts are urging traders to avoid leverage and expect short-term turbulence.
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Pakistan plans to allocate 2,000 MW for Bitcoin mining and create a national Bitcoin reserve amid political and economic instability.
IMF raises concerns over the project’s viability and energy use, questioning its feasibility amid Pakistan’s high energy costs and weak grid.
This week Pakistan’s recent announcement to allocate 2,000 megawatts of electricity for Bitcoin mining was a remarkable move. Later this week they also said that Pakistan has plans to establish a government-led Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, this update joined amid ongoing political tensions, financial distress, and border issues.
While a normal impression might be optimistic, compared with countries like El Salvador, but it’s not very optimistic. While this initiative signals a potential policy shift in the country, but its direct and immediate impact on the Bitcoin price is anticipated to be very minimal, largely due to a confluence of significant domestic challenges and international scrutiny.
The ambitious mining plan of Pakistan faces tremendous economic viability issues, and power generation is less of an issue than its per kWh charges. The country has commercial electricity rates which are hovering somewhere around $0.20- $0.22/kWh, and are considerably higher than those in competitive mining hubs like Iran, Kuwait and other countries.
Moreover, an electrical engineer based in Pakistan highlighted that even with a proposed subsidized tariff of $0.09/kWh, the cost remains barely competitive for large-scale operations compared to other countries in the global Bitcoin mining.
The pricing was a major issue, but beyond pricing, the nation’s power infrastructure presents further obstacles. As Pakistan’s grid suffers from inconsistent service, distribution and transmission losses. These are major risks for energy-intensive mining facilities.
IMF Scrutiny and Regulatory Roadblocks
Adding to these internal challenges, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has added red flags and asked several questions, as they said this announcement was done without IMF consultation.
They voiced serious concerns regarding Pakistan’s plan like the rationale behind allocating such a substantial amount of electricity, especially given the country’s ongoing chronic energy shortages and declining countries fiscal conditions.
Moreover, this external oversight clearly indicates the complexities involved in moving from a conceptual plan to a fully operational one. This creates an uncertain situation for Pakistan’s dreams related to Bitcoin crypto’s.
Limited Short-to-Medium Term Impact on Bitcoin Price
While the move was strategic or chaotic still remains a question. But, if in case it does establish a Bitcoin mining facility in Pakistan. It wouldn’t send the BTC price to hit mars or jupiter, from one financially weakend country’s action.
Its effort could incrementally contribute to the network’s security and global demand for Bitcoin in the long run, but no major outcome seems likely in the future.
Moreover, the current viability challenges and the critical intervention from the foreign organization clearly hints that its direct influence on global Bitcoin price will likely remain limited in the short to medium term, only if they successfully set up their plan in motion.
However, the long-run outlook totally depends on the broader market forces, global adoption trends, and major regulatory developments. These are the combined factors that are expected to continue to be the primary drivers of the future Bitcoin price movements.
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The post Can Pakistan’s Bitcoin Mining Move Impact BTC Price? Experts Doubt It appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Story Highlights Pakistan plans to allocate 2,000 MW for Bitcoin mining and create a national Bitcoin reserve amid political and economic instability. IMF raises concerns over the project’s viability and energy use, questioning its feasibility amid Pakistan’s high energy costs and weak grid. This week Pakistan’s recent announcement to allocate 2,000 megawatts of electricity for …
According to Johnny Garcia, Managing Director of Institutional Growth and Capital Markets at the VeChain Foundation, Texas will likely become the next state to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve after New Hampshire.
In an exclusive interview with BeInCrypto, Garcia explained that states with pro-innovation leadership are more inclined to follow New Hampshire’s example. Meanwhile, others may adopt a more cautious, wait-and-see approach.
Why States Like Texas Are More Likely to Follow New Hampshire’s Bitcoin Reserve Lead
The VeChain executive described New Hampshire’s passage of House Bill 302 as a ‘landmark moment’ for digital assets. He stated that the development highlights Bitcoin’s growing recognition as a strategic financial instrument.
It also lays the groundwork to encourage wider blockchain adoption by normalizing digital assets in public portfolios.
“Momentum has been gathering at the State level since the presidential inauguration, and have commented before, there is a sea change taking place in the minds of State representatives across the general perception of Bitcoin [and other crypto assets] in the US,” Garcia told BeInCrypto.
Importantly, he believes the move could prompt the states already considering related legislation to accelerate their efforts so they don’t fall behind. The latest data from Bitcoin Laws shows that as of May 2025, 37 digital asset-related bills are active in 20 states.
Live Bitcoin Reserve Bills Across 20 States. Source: Bitcoin Laws
However, Garcia emphasized that the success of these bills depends on various factors. These include a state’s political climate, economic priorities, and risk tolerance.
“States with pro-innovation leadership, like Texas or Utah, are more likely to follow New Hampshire’s lead in short order, while others may wait to see how things play out for N.H,” he added.
With Texas now in the spotlight, there is strong optimism that similar legislation will be signed into law. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has expressed a favorable outlook toward the industry. The Texas Legislative session ends on June 2, so the decision could come any day now.
This trend highlights a clear difference of opinion between Democrats and Republicans regarding investments in digital asset reserves, a divide Garcia also acknowledges.
“These differences are nothing new, and I chalk them up to deeper-rooted perspectives, just like there are conservatives and liberals, or risk takers and those who like to play things safe. Some may try to tease out those groups and label people on one side as Democratic and the other as Republican, but I think that is too simplistic,” he said.
He acknowledged that bridging this gap poses a significant, but surmountable, challenge. The executive noted that increased cooperation can be fostered through education and a deeper understanding of the technology’s potential benefits and risks.
According to Garcia, the focus should be on identifying shared goals, such as leveraging blockchain to improve efficiency and transparency in government operations—an approach that could lay the groundwork for bipartisan collaboration.
“The ultimate goal would be to develop a thoughtful and balanced approach to digital assets that can benefit all Americans, regardless of political affiliation. This can be achieved by moving the conversation beyond partisan lines and focusing on the long-term economic and technological implications,” Garcia disclosed to BeInCrypto.
How Will State-Level Interest Impact Broader Crypto Adoption?
Whether Democrats and Republicans will ever fully agree on digital assets remains uncertain. Despite this, the introduction of bills and increased discussions at the state level signal growing interest and momentum.
Garcia said this shift marks a fundamental change in how public finance views blockchain assets, recognizing them as tools for innovation and resilience.
“It, combined with the strength of Bitcoin, has rekindled the discussion around ‘digital gold’ and could help reshape public finance by introducing decentralized, censorship-resistant assets into traditional portfolios,” he commented.
It normalizes digital assets as a strategic asset class, not just speculative. This encourages more institutional and enterprise participation.
This also pushes policymakers and the public to better understand digital assets’ risks and benefits, which can lead to clearer and better regulations.
It helps build infrastructure like regulated custody and on-chain auditability. This makes blockchain adoption easier for businesses.
He also said that while accessibility remains a challenge for mainstream adoption, state-backed initiatives could foster partnerships between the public and private sectors. This collaboration could lead to the development of user-friendly wallets, custody services, and decentralized finance platforms, expanding access for both retail and institutional users.
“This aligns with our focus at VeChain on scalable, enterprise-grade blockchain solutions, and we anticipate that state-level adoption will create a ripple effect, accelerating the integration of digital assets into both public and private sectors,” Garcia remarked.
The Balance Between Opportunity and Risk in State Crypto Holdings
While the benefits inspire optimism, the reserves carry several implications for a common taxpayer. Garcia explained that supporters believe state investments could boost long-term returns and diversify away from inflation-prone assets, potentially strengthening the state’s finances and benefiting taxpayers. Yet, he claimed,
“We have not yet reached the point where Bitcoin has achieved a greater level of stability, and if it sees a similar pullback compared to previous cycles, that would greatly diminish interest in setting up reserves and could cost taxpayers money.”
Garcia warned that significant price drops could lead to losses in the state’s reserves. Thus, if the allocation is too large or poorly managed, this could potentially threaten financial stability.
“This could, in theory, lead to pressure for tax policy changes to offset those losses, although this would depend heavily on the scale of the investment and the state’s overall financial health,” he mentioned to BeInCrypto.
Garcia advocated educating taxpayers about both the benefits and risks to maintain public trust. He emphasized that the long-term impact will depend on the responsible and strategic management of these reserves.
Beyond tax concerns, Garcia detailed several challenges states may face when implementing crypto reserves.
“The volatility of digital assets remains the biggest challenge facing states looking to implement reserves, as managing this volatility within a public treasury framework will require careful consideration and potentially sophisticated risk management strategies,” he commented.
Garcia also mentioned that educating lawmakers and the public is crucial for wider acceptance, as many state officials lack expertise in digital asset management and will need training or specialists. He underlined that federal regulatory uncertainty adds complexity. Therefore, clear rules on custody and reporting are necessary.
According to Garcia, transparency and strong cybersecurity measures are other key factors essential to ensuring the long-term success of these initiatives.
The Road to a National Strategic Bitcoin Reserve
Meanwhile, Garcia pointed out that concerns over taxes and market volatility are why President Trump’s Bitcoin reserve does not include provisions for investing the country’s funds. Instead, it focuses on using forfeited assets to build the stockpile.
The SBR would involve acquiring 1 million Bitcoins over five years and holding them for at least 20 years. Garcia declared that allowing direct Bitcoin investments would depend on shifting political and economic factors.
“Allowing for such purchases will require bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, along with the President’s signature, but as the recent stall for the GENIUS Act shows, lawmakers are far from being on the same page,” the executive shared with BeInCrypto.
Garcia believes that a clear regulatory framework for crypto and a plan to incorporate Bitcoin into a strategic reserve will eventually be established by law. Nonetheless, the timeline and specific details of these bills remain ‘challenging to predict.’
Hong Kong’s financial regulators are moving to legalize trading in Bitcoin and crypto derivatives. This step aims to boost the city’s position as a major crypto hub and attract more investors. By creating clear rules and allowing these new financial products, Hong Kong hopes to provide safer, more transparent markets. The move reflects growing global acceptance of cryptocurrencies and could open the door for more innovation in the region’s financial sector.
The post Hong Kong Set to Legalize Bitcoin and Crypto Derivatives Trading appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Hong Kong’s financial regulators are moving to legalize trading in Bitcoin and crypto derivatives. This step aims to boost the city’s position as a major crypto hub and attract more investors. By creating clear rules and allowing these new financial products, Hong Kong hopes to provide safer, more transparent markets. The move reflects growing global …
