Bitcoin hovered close to the $67,000 mark during Thursday’s Asian session, showing limited movement as traders reassessed expectations for U.S. monetary policy following stronger-than-anticipated employment figures.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency edged modestly higher, trading near $67,100, but remained firmly capped below the psychologically important $70,000 resistance zone. Market participation appeared subdued, with thinner liquidity contributing to muted price action.

Earlier this month, Bitcoin rebounded from a sharp correction that pushed prices toward $60,000, yet bullish momentum has since cooled. The inability to reclaim higher levels suggests investors remain cautious amid macroeconomic uncertainty.

Strong U.S. Labor Data Weakens Rate-Cut Expectations

Fresh data released Wednesday showed that U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose more than forecast in January, highlighting continued strength in the American labor market. The unemployment rate remained near multi-month lows, while wage growth stayed resilient, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve may delay interest rate cuts.

Markets quickly adjusted pricing for monetary easing, pushing back expectations for the first potential rate reduction to mid-year. Higher-for-longer interest rate projections often pressure risk-sensitive assets such as cryptocurrencies, as tighter financial conditions reduce speculative capital flows.

Investors are now focusing on upcoming weekly jobless claims data and Friday’s U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Inflation readings could provide clearer guidance on the Fed’s next move and shape short-term crypto market direction.

Bitcoin’s repeated rejection below $70,000 underscores fragile risk appetite and lingering volatility following its recent pullback, leaving the broader market stuck within a consolidation range.

BlockFills Pauses Withdrawals Amid Market Stress

In a separate development, crypto liquidity provider BlockFills reportedly suspended client withdrawals amid recent turbulence in digital asset markets.

According to multiple media reports, the withdrawal halt began last week as part of measures to safeguard clients and stabilize platform liquidity during strained market conditions. Clients are still able to trade spot and derivatives positions under specific terms.

BlockFills reportedly services more than 2,000 institutional clients and processed over $60 billion in trading volume in 2025. The move echoes similar precautionary actions taken by crypto firms during previous market downturns.

Altcoins Trade Mixed as Market Consolidates

Despite Bitcoin’s narrow trading range, several major altcoins posted modest gains:

• Ethereum (ETH) climbed 1.1% to around $1,973
• XRP advanced 1.6% to $1.38
• Solana (SOL) remained largely flat
• Cardano (ADA) and Polygon (MATIC) each rose approximately 2.5%
• Dogecoin (DOGE) gained 2.2%

Overall, the crypto market remains in consolidation mode, with investors closely monitoring macroeconomic signals and inflation data for the next directional catalyst.