Crypto News Today: Bitcoin Rise To $76K, ETH Up 0.9% as Fed Rate Hikes

Market Recovers 0.8%, Fed Rate Hike and 12 Major Crypto News Stories

Cryptocurrency news today, September 17, 2026: Global crypto market cap rose 0.8% to $2.69 trillion, with Bitcoin and Ethereum posting modest gains while altcoins like Bedrock and Derive surged sharply amid neutral overall sentiment.

Crypto Market Update Today: Prices, Volume & Trends

According to CoinGecko data recorded on September 17, 2026, at 1:30 AM UTC, the global crypto market capitalization stood at $2.69 trillion, up 0.8% over 24 hours. Total trading volume was $91.9 billion. 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance remains strong at 56.9%, while Ethereum (ETH) holds 10.9%. The largest gainers in the industry over the past day are Zero Knowledge (ZK) and Quantum-Resistant Cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis

(Note: BTC and ETH are often viewed as less volatile historically, but still risky. The data recorded from Official CoinGecko Data on 17 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

• Bitcoin (BTC) price today at $76388.66, up 0.6% over the last 24 hours. Its trading volume reached approximately $30.89 billion, while its market capitalization stood at around $1.53 trillion.  

• Ethereum (ETH) price today is at $2427.38, surging 0.9% over 24 hours. Ethereum recorded about $15.84 billion in trading volume, while its market capitalization stood near $294.8 billion.  

Top Trending Crypto Coins Price in 24 Hours

Several trending assets also posted notable moves over the last 24 hours.

• Official Trump (TRUMP): $1.92, up 2.6%, with $199.39 million in trading volume (TV).

• Derive (DRV): $0.2632, up 93.8%, with $114.79 million in TV.

• Argus (ARGUS): $0.02286, up 105.9%, with $19.66 million in TV.

• NEAR Protocol (NEAR): $2.65, up 12.8%, with $622.59 million in TV.

• Harmony (ONE): $0.001014, up 50.4%, with $15.97 million in TV.

NEAR Protocol recorded the highest trading volume among the five, while Argus posted the largest 24-hour gain.

Top 3 Crypto Gainers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage gain):

• Argus price today (ARGUS): $0.0228, skyrocketed 105.4%, trading activity $19.66M.

• Bedrock price today (BR): $0.6472, climbed 157.9%, trading activity $54.19M.

• Derive price today (DRV): $0.265, jumped 95.1%, trading activity $115.03M.

Bedrock recorded the largest percentage increase among the listed assets, rising nearly 158%. However, percentage gains of this magnitude should be considered alongside market capitalization, liquidity and trading volume, because smaller or less-liquid tokens can experience unusually large price movements. Notably, DRV's much larger trading volume of $115M suggests deeper liquidity compared to the other two.

Top 3 Crypto Losers in 24 hours (Ranked by 24-hour percentage loss):

• RealLink price (REAL): $0.00528, down 46.0%, with trading volume near $90,922.

• Hunter Biden's Laptop price (LAPTOP): $0.1396, down 45.1%, with trading activity near $17.42M.

• Akedo price (AKE): $0.01916, slipped 29.2%, trading activity around $37.69M.

REAL recorded the sharpest decline among the listed tokens, falling 46.0%, though its trading volume is notably smaller than the other two, which may indicate lower liquidity.

Stablecoins and DeFi Market Update 

(As per CoinGecko on 17 September 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC)

The broader market weakness did not extend equally to stablecoins and decentralized finance.

• The stablecoin market capitalization reached $290 billion, with no changes over 24 hours. Stablecoin trading volume was approximately $82.2 billion.

• The DeFi market, which refers to blockchain-based financial applications such as decentralized exchanges and lending protocols, increased 1.1% to a market capitalization of $72.5 billion. DeFi trading volume reached approximately $5.36 billion, giving the sector a global dominance of 2.7%.

Crypto Fear and Greed Index Today

Source: Alternative Me

The Crypto Fear and Greed Index stood at 50, indicating Neutral, on September 17.

That was down slightly from 51 on September 16 and well below the 69 level recorded a week earlier, which indicated Greed. However, the current reading remains higher than last month's level of 41, which indicated Fear.

The gradual decline from Greed toward Neutral suggests that market optimism has cooled over the past week, with sentiment now sitting right at the midpoint, neither fearful nor greedy, as the market takes a more balanced, wait-and-see stance.

Major Crypto Market Events Today

Source: Forex Factory

Top Cryptocurrency News Today

Beyond market prices, several developments could influence crypto sentiment, regulation, infrastructure and institutional activity.

1. Senators Push CLARITY Act Forward: Seven Democratic senators, including Gillibrand and Warner, pledged bipartisan support to revive the CLARITY Act after its September 15 Senate defeat.

2. Aave Launches RWA Hub on Avalanche: Aave will open an institutional RWA Hub on Avalanche, letting users borrow stablecoins against tokenized assets, with Tether's USAT powering liquidity.

3. Japan Explores Prediction Market Rules: Japan's LDP finance alliance will study prediction markets' legal status amid gambling law concerns, as Kalshi and Polymarket executives plan visits.

4. Korea Investigates Polymarket Bettors: Korean police have charged 26 Polymarket users, referring 18 to prosecutors, over roughly $12.7 million in bets deemed illegal gambling.

5. Tare Raises $13.25M Seed Round: Avalanche-based credit platform Tare secured $13.25 million, led by Blockchain Capital, with backing from Aave's Stani Kulechov and Tether's Phil Potter.

6. Hong Kong Expands Digital Asset Policy: Hong Kong's 2026 Policy Address promotes RWA tokenization, digital bonds, and tests CBDC settlement for over HK$1.3 trillion in forex bills.

7. Flamingo Finance Hit by Flash Loan Attack: An attacker exploited Flamingo Finance's Flamincome contract on Neo using an 18 million USDT flash loan, profiting roughly 345,900 USDT.

8. House Panel Advances Reserve Custody Bill: The House Financial Services Committee passed the American Reserve Modernization Act, 28-21, establishing a federal digital asset custody framework.

9. Column Integrates Stablecoins Into Banking Core: U.S. Bancorp's Column now offers instant USDC and USDT conversions within its banking core, supporting Solana, Ethereum, SWIFT, and card networks.

10. Tether Becomes Goldcom's Top Gold Financier: Tether now finances most of Goldcom's $1.7 billion gold leases, holding a 13% stake and about 146 tons of gold reserves.

11. HBO Max Reddit Account Hacked for Scams: Attackers hijacked HBO Max's Reddit account, posting 108 malicious ads using ClickFix malware to steal crypto wallets and credentials.

12. Fed Hikes Rates to 3.75%-4.00%: The Federal Reserve unanimously raised rates by 25 basis points, citing solid growth and persistent inflation, with more hikes possibly ahead.

Comparative Insight: What Changed Today?

Market sentiment stabilized after Tuesday's pullback. On September 16, the market cap fell 3.3% to $2.67 trillion, with Bitcoin down 2.7% and Ethereum sliding 4.6% amid Neutral sentiment (51). By September 17, the market recovered modestly, rising 0.8% to $2.69 trillion, as Bitcoin gained 0.6% and Ethereum climbed 0.9%. 

The Fear and Greed Index held nearly flat at 50, still Neutral. This suggests the sharp decline was temporary, with large-caps stabilizing rather than extending losses, signaling cautious recovery over renewed bullish momentum.

What Does This Crypto Market Move Mean Today?

The September 17 update's 0.8% market uptick signals mild optimism, but the underlying picture is mixed. Bitcoin and Ethereum's modest gains suggest institutional stability, while explosive moves in smaller tokens like Bedrock and Derive point to speculative retail activity rather than broad market conviction. 

The Fear and Greed Index sitting at Neutral (50), down from last week's Greed (69), indicates traders are becoming more cautious after recent highs. DeFi's 1.1% growth and steady stablecoin volumes suggest underlying infrastructure remains healthy. 

Overall, this looks like a consolidation phase rather than a strong directional trend, with sentiment cooling but not yet fearful.

CoinGabbar's Market View

For daily crypto readers, today's market calls for measured caution rather than aggressive positioning. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain relatively steady, making them safer choices for conservative investors during this Neutral sentiment phase. 

However, tokens like Bedrock, Argus, and Derive, despite impressive 24-hour gains, carry higher risk due to lower liquidity and volume compared to their price swings sudden reversals are common in such assets. Investors should avoid chasing sharp percentage gains blindly and instead watch trading volume and market depth. 

With sentiment cooling from Greed to Neutral, this is a prudent time to stay diversified, monitor regulatory developments like the CLARITY Act, and avoid overleveraging in low-cap altcoins.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile, and individual digital assets can experience substantial price fluctuations or losses. Readers should conduct their own research (DYOR) and consult a qualified financial professional before making financial decisions. Availability of cryptocurrency services and assets may vary by jurisdiction.