Traders eye the Federal Reserve’s payments conference and other updates as markets attempt to recover from early October volatility.
Crypto traders are watching a busy week of events that could affect prices across digital assets. The Crypto Week Ahead includes economic data, blockchain upgrades and governance votes that may affect market sentiment after a volatile start to the month.
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are currently under pressure, but new developments could help to restore investor confidence.
The biggest event is the Federal Reserve’s Payments Innovation Conference in Washington on October 21. Traders are hoping to gain insight into the Fed’s policy direction after a month of market uncertainty.
What to Expect in the Crypto Market This Week
The week starts with ETHZilla Corporation (ETHZ) completing a 1-for-10 reverse stock split on October 20.
This move reduces the number of outstanding shares from about 160 million to 16 million. This adjustment comes before a major Zilliqa (ZIL) upgrade that will activate its new mainnet, Zilliqa 2.0, through a hard fork on October 22.
ETHZilla $ETHZ just announced plans to do a 1 for 10 reverse stock split pic.twitter.com/XjbZxYz3z2
— Treasury Edge (@TreasuryEdge) October 15, 2025
Also on October 22, Circle will host an online seminar about its payments network. It will show banks and financial firms how to use stablecoins for faster and more compliant settlements.
Later in the week, Coinbase will perform maintenance on October 25, and temporarily halt all trading and transfers. US derivatives trading will also pause during the upgrade window.
The combination of these events makes the next few days important for both technical developments and regulatory discussions.
Macro Events That Could Move Markets
Beyond crypto, international economic data could also affect investor behaviour. Canada is set to release its September inflation data on October 21, while the United States will post its inflation report and Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) figures on October 24.
This Week’s Economic Calendar
Key Data:US Existing Home Sales
Eurozone Manufacturing PMIUS CPI
Earnings Focus:
Netflix, TeslaOne chart to keep you on top of everything you need to watch this week.
Be sure to save it, so you don’t miss the important updates:… pic.twitter.com/iBJqHZRWim— MacroMicro (@MacroMicroMe) October 19, 2025
These reports come as the Federal Reserve reviews its next move on interest rates. Markets currently expect the Fed to hold rates steady but may look for hints of a future cut.
Meanwhile, the ongoing US government shutdown is delaying several data reports, including jobless claims.
General Market Conditions
After last week’s wave of liquidations, traders seem to be cautious, but stil hopeful. Bitcoin remains below its early October highs, while Ethereum struggles to recover from recent losses.
The overall crypto market sentiment has improved slightly, and is being supported by easing global trade tensions and a more stable US stock market.
Gold’s ongoing strength has also helped emerging markets, with countries like South Africa and Ghana benefiting from higher prices. Analysts believe this trend could support risk appetite if inflation remains under control.
In equities, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones ended last week higher. This suggests that investors may be ready to re-enter risk assets, including crypto, if the Fed signals a softer policy outlook.
What It All Means for Crypto
This week offers a mix bag of ups and downs. Traders are watching how macroeconomic data lines up with the Fed’s message, while developers push ahead with upgrades and governance changes.
The crypto market is currently fragile but not directionless, and the coming days will test whether crypto can shake off recent losses and find steady ground again.
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