Hawkish Fed Hold Sends XRP Sliding Toward $1.29

XRP slides to $1.29 after a nearly 3% drop in Asian trading on October 29, 2026. The brief bounce after the Federal Reserve rate hold faded fast. CoinMarketCap showed XRP among the weakest major tokens on the day. Bitcoin held near $80,000 to $81,000. Ethereum traded around $2,320 to $2,343.

Why XRP Slides to $1.29 After the Fed Decision

The Fed kept its benchmark rate at 3.75% to 4.00% on a 10-2 vote. Governors Lisa D. Cook and Beth M. Hammack preferred a 0.25 percentage point hike. That dissent left a hawkish signal in the statement even as the target range stayed put.

XRP recovered briefly after the announcement. Then it sold off again as tech-stock worries and softer institutional demand returned. Forced liquidations across crypto added selling into the move. That made it harder for XRP to hold the bounce.

CoinMarketCap data put XRP near $1.29 for the session. It lagged peers after the post-Fed lift failed to stick.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Hold Firmer Than XRP

Bitcoin traded in an $80,000 to $81,000 range in the same window. Ethereum held roughly $2,320 to $2,343. Both looked more resilient than XRP in that snapshot. Levels can still shift as trading continues.

The gap underlines uneven risk appetite across major tokens. When Bitcoin stays steadier, XRP and other alts often absorb more of the selling. That pattern matched this Fed-week session. A short relief bounce gave way to a sharper fade in XRP. Larger caps held closer to their ranges.

Why the Fed Hold Still Matters for XRP

Markets had treated the decision as a cue on future borrowing costs. The hold itself was widely expected. But the two dissenting votes for a hike kept hawkish pressure in view. That mix helps explain why the recovery in XRP did not last.

Levels near $1.29 now mark the latest check on whether buyers return after a Fed-event fade. Broader cues still run through Bitcoin's trend, upcoming economic data, and the next Fed signals. For now, the rate hold did not lock in a lasting bid for XRP. The token trailed Bitcoin and Ethereum on the day.