What happened?
Crypto moved into a holding pattern after an early-October Bitcoin surge to about $126,080 sent a tidal wave of capital into altcoins and meme coins, but that optimism quickly faded. Markets then slid following Donald Trump’s announcement of a 100% tariff on Chinese imports, triggering a sharp sell-off and leaving traders cautious ahead of the Fed’s FOMC meeting. Many analysts call the pullback a constructive correction that’s cleaning out excess leverage and weak hands while projects like XRP, SHIB, DOGE and new presales like Bitcoin Hyper stay in focus.
Who does this affect?
Retail traders and retail investors in altcoins and meme coins are feeling the price swings and need to manage higher short-term volatility. Institutional investors, ETF watchers, exchanges and funds are closely watching regulatory moves, ETF approvals and stablecoin launches like Ripple’s RLUSD because those events will drive big flows. Developers, crypto companies and on-chain users building payment rails, L2s and utility features (e.g., Shibarium, Ripple, Bitcoin Hyper) could see accelerated adoption if sentiment turns bullish again.
Why does this matter?
If the correction finishes and ETF approvals or friendly regulations arrive, a large wave of capital could pour back in and push altcoins and meme coins much higher, amplifying market cap gains. On the flip side, geopolitical shocks, tighter Fed policy or regulatory setbacks could prolong selling, drain liquidity and keep volatility elevated, hurting short-term prices. Overall the market is tightening—less leverage means stronger projects and utility-driven tokens are likelier to outperform in the next bull cycle, so selective exposure could deliver outsized returns.