US Inflation Cools, Bitcoin and Ethereum Strengthen

The decline in United States inflation in June 2026 has provided a boost to global financial markets, including crypto assets. Based on the latest data, annual US inflation eased to 3.5%, down significantly from 4.2% in May. Responding to this positive sentiment, Bitcoin (BTC) moved towards the US$64,600 level, while Ethereum (ETH) held steady at US$1,900 on Thursday (16/7).

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded a monthly decline of 0.4% in June. This figure was better than market expectations, which had predicted a 0.2% drop. The sharp decline, driven by weakening energy prices, was the largest since April 2020 and signals potential stability for future monetary policy.

Indodax CEO William Sutanto explained that inflation data is a crucial indicator closely monitored by global market participants. He noted that the direction of monetary policy is heavily dependent on macroeconomic figures like the CPI. “Inflation data influences expectations regarding the direction of monetary policy. It is natural that the release of this data is responded to by various asset classes, including crypto. However, it is important to remember that price movements are still influenced by many complex factors, so they cannot be concluded from just one economic indicator,” said William.

Beyond macroeconomic factors, investor attention is also turning to Ethereum ahead of the ETH Genesis Day anniversary on 30 July. This moment marks the journey of Ethereum since it was first launched in 2015. William assessed that this period historically increases the global community’s attention on the Ethereum ecosystem. “ETH Genesis Day is a reminder of how this ecosystem has developed into a foundation for blockchain innovation, from smart contracts and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) to the tokenisation of assets or Real World Assets (RWA),” he added.