Crypto Whales Engage in Strategic Buying and Selling Ahead of FOMC Meeting
March 19, 2026 — By Donna Hettinger
As global markets brace for the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this March, crypto whales—large holders of digital assets—are actively adjusting their portfolios in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement. Market participants widely expect the Fed to maintain current interest rates, but the committee’s latest economic projections could significantly influence market dynamics.
Market Overview Ahead of FOMC
In the face of ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, on-chain data reveals decisive activity from crypto whales, who are either accumulating or offloading selected tokens. This behavior underscores the importance of the FOMC decision as investors seek to position themselves advantageously ahead of potential market shifts.
Among the most notable tokens attracting whale attention are Official Trump (TRUMP), Zcash (ZEC), and Pepe Coin (PEPE), each exhibiting distinct trends in the hours preceding the FOMC announcement.
Official Trump (TRUMP): Whale Accumulation Signals Confidence
Official Trump token has seen significant accumulation by whales within the last 24 hours. According to on-chain analytics from Pintu News, whale wallets increased their TRUMP holdings by 3.08%, bringing the total whale-held balance to approximately 4.03 million tokens. This equates to an addition of around 120,000 TRUMP tokens, valued at roughly $449,000 at current prices.
Simultaneously, TRUMP token reserves across exchanges have declined, indicating that whales are transferring assets to private wallets for long-term holding. Two primary catalysts appear to fuel this trend:
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The imminent FOMC meeting scheduled for March 18, where interest rates are expected to be held steady—a stance aligning with former President Donald Trump’s public calls for immediate rate cuts.
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An exclusive gala luncheon at Mar-a-Lago on April 25, inviting the top 297 TRUMP token holders, providing direct incentives for whales to continue amassing tokens.
While TRUMP’s price has been trending downward since January, the recent whale support could spark a breakout. Technical analysis suggests that surpassing resistance levels at $4.24 and $4.61 may open the path to a potential surge toward $7.39. Conversely, if the price falls below $3.43, bearish momentum may persist.
Zcash (ZEC): Institutional Interest Bolsters Accumulation
Zcash, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, is also experiencing noteworthy accumulation by both whales and mega-whales ahead of the policy meeting. On-chain data from the Solana network indicates that whale wallets have boosted their ZEC holdings by 12.43%, resulting in a total of more than 10,000 ZEC tokens under whale control. Additionally, the top 100 largest addresses increased their combined holdings by nearly 8%, adding around 4,597 ZEC, equivalent to approximately $1.23 million.
This surge coincides with growing investor interest in privacy coins driven by cybersecurity concerns and the forthcoming launch of an institutional mining pool for ZEC by Foundry Digital in April. Furthermore, the Zcash Open Development Lab recently secured initial funding of $25 million, reinforcing positive sentiment around the asset.
Technically, ZEC has broken out from an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, a bullish signal suggesting buyer strength against previous bearish pressure. The projected price target following this breakout could reach approximately $431, representing a 95% increase based on Fibonacci extension levels. However, critical resistance levels at $282 and $339 must be surpassed, while falling below $265 risks a retracement to $226 or even $191. —
Pepe Coin (PEPE): Whales Reduce Exposure Amid Uncertainty
In contrast to TRUMP and ZEC, Pepe Coin has seen prominent selling activity by whales just before the FOMC announcement. Santiment data unveils a decline in whale ownership—from 179.49 trillion to 176.72 trillion PEPE tokens—reflecting a sell-off of roughly 2.77 trillion tokens valued at $10.55 million within 24 hours.
This downward trend has intensified since March 13, despite a 16% price increase for PEPE over the past week. Such divergence points to profit-taking and risk mitigation by large holders ahead of the Federal Reserve’s economic forecast.
From a technical standpoint, PEPE is exhibiting a hidden bearish divergence indicator, characterized by lower highs in price alongside higher highs in the Relative Strength Index (RSI) between December 9 and March 16. This pattern usually denotes continuation of a downward trend, particularly given the absence of strong fundamental drivers for PEPE in an uncertain macroeconomic climate.
To reverse this bearish outlook, PEPE would need to break above $0.0000041, potentially rising to $0.0000050. Failure to hold support above $0.0000036 could, however, expose the token to further declines toward $0.0000029 or lower.
Conclusion
With the FOMC meeting imminent, crypto whales demonstrate strategic repositioning across various digital assets—bolstering long-term holdings in tokens like TRUMP and ZEC while trimming exposure in PEPE. These moves highlight the sensitivity of the crypto market to global economic policy announcements and the proactive measures taken by major players to navigate potential volatility.
Investors should closely monitor these on-chain trends as well as the Fed’s economic projections, which could act as key determinants in defining the near-term direction of the crypto market.
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Author: Donna Hettinger
Published: March 19, 2026
Category: Economy, Business, Crypto News