• Japan’s 0.25% rate hike prompts investors to repatriate funds, leading to global market shifts and crypto downturns.
• Bitcoin and Ethereum saw steep declines as the Yen/USD exchange rate dropped, highlighting the global impact of Japan’s policy shift.
• The Yen’s unwinding and global market pressures are key factors in the recent cryptocurrency market crash, affecting Bitcoin and Ethereum.

For three decades, Japan’s 0% interest rates allowed investors to borrow Yen cheaply and invest in global assets like T-Bills and the Nasdaq. This week, a sudden 0.25% rate hike by the Bank of Japan has triggered a substantial market reaction. Investors are now pulling funds back to Japan, affecting global markets, including cryptocurrencies.

Japanese Yen’s Influence on Global Markets

The recent hike in Japanese interest rates marks a pivotal shift. Investors, who previously borrowed Yen at no cost, are now facing higher borrowing costs. Consequently, they are repatriating funds back to Japan, leading to substantial market movements. The unwinding of these positions is estimated to involve over $4 trillion.

Monitoring the Yen/USD exchange rate is crucial as its fluctuations impact risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. The exchange rate has shown an upward trend with peaks around 162.000 JPY/USD, but recently, a sharp decline has brought it to approximately 151.720 JPY/USD.

This decline reflects notable selling pressure and negative sentiment toward the USD against the JPY. Key support and resistance levels are observed around 133.361 JPY/USD and 162.000 JPY/USD, respectively.

Source: @AbsGMCrypto on X

Bitcoin and Ethereum

The decline in the Yen/USD exchange rate has coincided with a sharp drop in cryptocurrency values. Both Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) experienced steady performance until late afternoon, when significant declines began. Around 8:00 PM, both cryptocurrencies started to drop sharply, with Ethereum showing a more pronounced decline than Bitcoin. By 6:00 AM, Bitcoin had dropped approximately 15%, while Ethereum saw a decline of around 20-25%.

Source: CoinMarketCap

The synchronized yet more severe decline in Ethereum suggests market-wide factors affecting both assets, with Ethereum impacted more. This steep drop could be due to sudden market sentiment changes, significant news events, or other external factors.

Broader Market Factors

Several factors are contributing to the current crypto market crash. Decreasing odds of a Trump presidency, recession fears, a stock market correction, and geopolitical tensions are all playing roles.

Additionally, the Yen unwinding, Jump unwinding positions, Gox distributions, and recent pumps trapping fresh longs are notable contributors. Altcoin dispersion adds to the complexity, creating a perfect storm for the crypto market.