Crypto rally fuels Pepe, Zcash, Dogecoin and altcoin gains after softer US inflation
A broad crypto market rally on Feb. 15 followed a softer-than-expected US consumer inflation report for January. Bitcoin rose above $70,000 and total crypto market capitalization topped $2.4 trillion as investors bought the dip. Meme and altcoins led gains: Pepe (PEPE) jumped ~28–30% in 24 hours and is more than 50% up from its lows this year; Zcash (ZEC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Bonk (BONK), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Jupiter, Morpho, and Pippin all gained double digits. The move was supported by falling headline CPI (to 2.4% year-on-year) and a resilient labor market that pushed expectations for multiple Federal Reserve rate cuts higher. Futures open interest rose about 2% to ~$100 billion, suggesting increased leverage. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index climbed from extreme fear (8) to 13, indicating reduced panic but still cautious sentiment. Analysts warn the rebound could be a dead-cat bounce, so traders should use risk management despite bullish signals.
Bullish
The article describes a market-wide rally triggered by a softer US CPI print and stronger-than-expected jobs data, which together increased the likelihood of multiple Fed rate cuts. Historically, lower interest-rate expectations and falling inflation have supported risk assets including cryptocurrencies. Supporting technical/market indicators cited — Bitcoin > $70k, total market cap > $2.4T, sizable percentage gains in meme and altcoins, and a ~2% rise in futures open interest to ~$100B — point to renewed buying interest and increased leverage, typical of bullish sentiment. The Fear & Greed Index rising from extreme fear toward neutral further supports potential continued upside as capitulation wanes. However, the piece also warns of a possible dead-cat bounce; such rebounds have preceded renewed sell-offs when macro optimism proved premature. For traders: near-term action is bullish (momentum and leverage rising), favoring long exposure with tight risk controls (stop losses, position sizing). For the medium-to-long term, outcomes depend on follow-up macro data and actual Fed rate decisions — sustained rate-cut expectations would be bullish, while reversed expectations or macro shocks would negate the rally.