The week from September 15 to 21 is shaping up to be one of the most packed with news for global markets and, consequently, for the crypto markets. Three major central banks — the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and Bank of Japan — will announce their monetary policy decisions, while in Europe the final reading of August inflation will be released.
On the derivatives front, weekly options on Deribit and CME will expire on Friday, potentially impacting volatility. Spot ETFs on Bitcoin and Ethereum have recorded strong inflows in recent days and will remain under observation.
In parallel, EDCON Osaka will bring together the Ethereum community with technical updates, while Arbitrum will face a significant token unlock. In this context, the crypto markets will move to the rhythm of macro data, deadlines, and technological narrative.
Summary
Crypto news September 15-21, 2025: macro and central banks
- Wednesday, September 17, 8:00 PM CEST – Federal Reserve (FOMC): rate decision, release of the Summary of Economic Projections, and press conference by Chairman Powell at 8:30 PM. The most significant event of the week for the dollar, yields, and risk appetite.
- Thursday, September 18, 1:00 PM CEST – Bank of England (MPC): release of the statement and minutes at 12:00 local time. Focus on the rate path in a context of declining inflation but weak growth.
- Friday, September 19, time TBA – Bank of Japan: meeting scheduled for September 18–19. Any signals on rates and yield curve control can impact the yen and global liquidity flows.
Key Macro Data
- Tuesday, September 16, 2:30 PM CEST – United States, retail sales (August): direct indicator of consumer demand, impacting monetary policy expectations.
- Thursday, September 18, 2:30 PM CEST – United States, new unemployment claims: weekly proxy on the labor market.
- Wednesday, September 17, 12:00 CEST – Euro area, Final HICP (August): comprehensive reading on inflation, useful for confirming or disproving the flash estimate.
- Thursday, September 18, 2:30 PM CEST – United States, housing starts and building permits (August): sensitive to the trend of real rates and the real estate market.
Derivatives and Liquidity
- Deribit: expiration of weekly options on Bitcoin and Ethereum on Friday, September 19 at 08:00 UTC (10:00 CEST). Settlement occurs via a 30-minute TWAP. Movements concentrated on the most populated strikes can amplify volatility.
- CME: expiration of “Bitcoin Friday” contracts on September 19 at 4:00 PM ET (10:00 PM CEST). Often coincides with realignments between regulated derivatives and the spot market.
ETF and Flows
- Spot Bitcoin ETF (USA): the previous week closed with significant inflows, for example, +642 million dollars on September 12 according to aggregated Farside data. These movements are a key indicator of institutional sentiment.
- Spot Ethereum ETF (USA): weekly inflows exceeding 600 million dollars in the week of September 8–12, with Fidelity among the key players.
Specific Events for Tokens (Top 50)
- Arbitrum (ARB) – Tuesday, September 16, time TBA: unlocking of approximately 92.65 million ARB tokens, equivalent to about 2% of the circulating supply. As of the consultation (September 15), Arbitrum holds the #45 position on CoinMarketCap. The event could generate price pressure if there is an increase in sales by the recipients.
Industry Events
- EDCON Osaka (September 16–19): international conference dedicated to the Ethereum ecosystem. The agenda includes workshops on Layer 2, zero-knowledge proofs, clients, and roadmap. An opportunity for technical announcements and the dissemination of narratives related to protocol development.
Day-by-day Summary (CEST)
- Monday, September 15: no significant macro events.
- Tuesday, September 16: USA Retail Sales at 14:30; Arbitrum unlock; EDCON Osaka opening.
- Wednesday, September 17: Eurozone HICP at 12:00; FOMC at 20:00 and conference at 20:30.
- Thursday, September 18: BoE at 13:00; US Jobless Claims and Housing Starts at 14:30.
- Friday, September 19: BoJ decision (time TBA); Deribit weekly options at 10:00; CME expirations at 22:00.
- Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21: no known market-moving events.
Why It Is Relevant for Crypto Markets
- Monetary policy: Fed, BoE, and BoJ will define global financial conditions and influence the dollar and yields, variables closely related to the performance of cryptocurrencies.
- Institutional Flows: Spot ETFs provide a daily indicator of institutional demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum.
- Derivatives: Deribit and CME expirations can act as catalysts for volatility and sudden price shifts.
- Tokenomics: the unlock of Arbitrum represents a tangible increase in the circulating supply, with potential short-term effects.
- Technological development: EDCON strengthens the medium-term narrative on Ethereum and Layer 2 solutions.
