Bitcoin Falls Below $73,000 as Inflation Revives Fed Rate Fears

Bitcoin (BTC) fell below $73,000 on Tuesday for the first time in nearly three months, as a hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation reading revived fears that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates again next month.

Ether (ETH) and XRP recorded steeper losses than BTC, extending the downturn beyond Bitcoin. The inflation release was the main trigger for the crypto selloff, while the rate concern centers on a possible Fed increase next month.

Two defining details in the latest move are BTC’s break below $73,000 and the deeper declines in Ether and XRP. The market drop followed an inflation reading that came in above expectations, with concern over a possible rate increase shaping the explanation for the decline. Bitcoin’s move below the threshold came for the first time in nearly three months. Ether and XRP’s larger losses show the pullback reached beyond BTC. The possibility of a Fed rate increase next month remains the forward-looking concern tied to Tuesday’s decline.