A crypto market rally is picking up speed today, February 15, as buyers return after the recent pullback. New U.S. inflation figures came in softer than expected, which boosted overall confidence in the crypto market.
Bitcoin moved up to around $70,000, and the total value of the crypto market rose above $2.4 trillion. Pepe Coin led the charge with a gain of more than 30% in the past 24 hours. Zcash, Dogecoin, and Bonk also posted 10%+ increases over the same timeframe. Many of these tokens are now up more than 50% from their yearly lows. Other strong performers included Shiba Inu, Jupiter, Morpho, and Pippin.
Crypto Market Rally Supported by U.S. Inflation and Jobs Updates
This crypto market rally strengthened after Friday’s key economic releases. The latest report showed that U.S. consumer inflation kept cooling in January. Headline CPI dropped to 2.4%, down from roughly 3% just a few months ago, and it continues to trend toward the 2% target.
Another report suggested the job market remains stable. The unemployment rate slipped to 4.3%, and the economy added more than 130,000 jobs during the month. Together, these updates increased expectations that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates more times than earlier forecasts suggested. While some policymakers have pointed to only one cut this year, many analysts still believe more reductions could come if inflation keeps easing.
Higher Leverage Adds Extra Momentum
The crypto market rally is also being helped by stronger activity in the derivatives market. Futures open interest has risen, which often means traders are opening more positions and using leverage—something that can amplify short-term price moves.
Fear and Greed Index Improves, but Caution Still Matters
Sentiment has also improved as the Crypto Fear and Greed Index rebounded from very low levels. It climbed from 8 to about 13, staying in the “extreme fear” zone but signaling that confidence is slowly returning.
In many past cycles, major crypto uptrends have started when fear hit extreme levels and selling pressure faded. Still, caution is important. Sometimes markets bounce briefly and then drop again—this kind of short rebound can happen before a larger downtrend continues.
