The Fed's interest rate decisions are increasingly under political scrutiny. Fed Chair Powell pushes back against claims he's being personally targeted, clarifying that the real friction stems from the Federal Reserve's commitment to setting rates based on economic fundamentals—not political pressure.

According to Powell, the core issue is straightforward: the Fed assesses what monetary policy best serves the economy, and that sometimes means maintaining or raising rates when others prefer cuts. This principled stance on interest rates has made the institution a focal point of criticism from those favoring more aggressive rate reductions.

For crypto markets, this matters enormously. Interest rate policy directly influences capital flows into risk assets like Bitcoin and altcoins. When the Fed holds firm on rates or keeps them elevated, it affects liquidity conditions and borrowing costs across the entire digital asset ecosystem. Powell's defense of the Fed's independence suggests the institution won't simply cave to political demands—a signal that future rate decisions will continue prioritizing economic data over external pressure.