Massive meme coin meltdown, 6% drops in 24 hours

The global digital asset market experienced a further decline of 3% over the past 24 hours, with leading cryptocurrencies like Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) shedding approximately 5%. Meme coins, however, have suffered the most significant losses amidst the ongoing downturn.

Crypto Market Decline

The crypto market displayed negative indicators on Thursday, with Bitcoin (BTC) dipping below the $67,000 level. Notably, the meme crypto market witnessed a substantial 6% drop over the past day, bringing its valuation down to $54.75 billion. Its 24-hour trading volume also declined by 4%, currently standing at $6.7 billion.

Solana's Descent

Solana, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has experienced a 12% price decline over the past week. At press time, SOL is trading at an average price of $151.23.

Meme Coin Losses

dogwifhat (WIF), a meme cryptocurrency that has experienced a significant surge in recent times, dropped by 11% in the past 24 hours. Furthermore, WIF has faced a cumulative decline of 25% over the past week. At press time, WIF is trading at an average price of $2.52, with its 24-hour trading volume decreasing by 11% to $446 million.

PEPE, another meme cryptocurrency, has witnessed a further 8% decline in the past 24 hours. Despite this, PEPE has shown resilience by maintaining a 131% increase in value over the last 60 days. Currently, PEPE is trading at an average price of $0.00001251. Other doge-themed meme cryptos such as FLOKI and BONK have also experienced double-digit percentage declines during the same period.

External Factors Impacting the Market

The broader market sentiment plays a role in the current cryptocurrency declines. European stocks opened lower, reflecting the downturn in Asian markets. This follows the US Federal Reserve's indication of only one rate cut in 2024, a departure from the three previously anticipated by markets. Consequently, the US dollar has strengthened against major currencies in the wake of this announcement.

Despite a recent moderation in inflation within the US, it remains higher than the Federal Reserve Chairman's target comfort zone. The Reserve maintained interest rates between 5.25% and 5.5% but revised its forecast to project just one rate cut in the upcoming year.

The Federal Reserve officials have acknowledged "modest further progress" towards achieving their 2% inflation target, a more optimistic outlook compared to their previous assessment. However, Chairman Powell has emphasized the necessity for further evidence before implementing rate cuts, citing the desired impact of the restrictive monetary policy on inflation.