Bitcoin slides toward $74,000 after Waller signals a rate hike

Bitcoin slid toward $74,000 on November 10, 2026, after Christopher Waller came out in favor of a rate hike in December. The member of the US Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors said he would vote for a 0.25 percentage point increase, while, according to Cointelegraph, bets on a hike reached 96%.

What did Waller say about December rates?

Waller backed a 0.25 percentage point increase at the December meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets US monetary policy. His stance put the prospect of tighter money back in focus just as Bitcoin was moving lower.

There was also a more hawkish scenario. According to The Defiant, Waller said a half-percentage-point hike should be considered if the monthly change in the core consumer price index stays around 0.3% or higher. The core consumer price index (core CPI) tracks inflation excluding food and energy prices.

The distinction matters: the 0.25-point hike is the option he said he would support. The larger hike was framed as conditional, not as a done deal.

How did Bitcoin and the markets react?

Bitcoin and stock index futures moved lower after the speech, according to Cointelegraph. These contracts reflect positioning on the future direction of equity markets, so the pressure was not limited to crypto.

Meanwhile, The Defiant reports that traders on the Kalshi prediction market increased their bets on a December rate hike. Cointelegraph puts the expectations reflected in those bets at 96%. That is an indication of what participants are pricing in, not an announcement of a Fed decision.

Is $74,000 technical support?

In the sources, $74,000 appears as the area Bitcoin was sliding toward, not as confirmed technical support. No data is provided on trading volume, technical indicators or a specific low for the move.

So we would not label this price a “floor.” The available picture shows pressure following a more hawkish monetary policy message, but it is not enough to draw conclusions about where the decline will stop.

What are we watching from here?

Inflation and the Fed’s December decision are the two key points that stand out from Waller’s remarks. If the monthly change in core CPI stays around 0.3% or higher, the larger-hike scenario he described will remain on the table.

For readers in Greece following Bitcoin, the move is a reminder that developments in US monetary policy can directly affect sentiment in crypto. Our view is that it’s important to separate an official’s statement, market expectations and the final decision. For now we have the first two, not the third.