Bitcoin below $79,000, XRP leads losses as traders start betting on a Fed hike

Bitcoin fell from a recent high above $80,000 toward the $77,000-$78,000 zone, while XRP led losses among major cryptocurrencies as its recent rally cooled. Traders were watching upcoming core PCE inflation data and Nvidia's earnings report as catalysts that could move markets ahead of Jackson Hole. XRP had surged sharply in prior weeks before pulling back, with technical indicators showing mixed signals about whether the drop is a temporary cooldown or the start of a deeper decline. Despite the price pullback, XRP-linked ETFs recorded nine straight days of net inflows.