Bitcoin (BTC) slid dropped below a key level on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) held its short-term policy rate at 0.75% but delivered the most divided vote of Governor Kazuo Ueda’s tenure, with three board members pushing for an immediate hike to 1.0%.
The hawkish split, paired with a sharply higher inflation forecast, revived expectations of a June rate increase and renewed fears of a yen carry trade unwind that has battered crypto markets in past tightening episodes.
Why the BOJ Vote Spooked Crypto Markets
The 6-3 vote marked the widest internal divide under Ueda since he took office. Hajime Takata, Naoki Tamura, and centrist Junko Nakagawa each backed an immediate move to 1.0%, citing persistent inflation pressure and a vulnerable yen.
The board raised its core inflation outlook for fiscal 2026 to 2.8% from 1.9%, pointing to surging energy costs tied to the Iran conflict.
Growth was trimmed to 0.5% from 1.0% as domestic momentum softened. Money markets now price roughly 70% odds of a 25 basis point hike at the June meeting.
Carry Trade Risks Return for Bitcoin
The reaction in Bitcoin was swift. BTC slipped below the $76,200 threshold after opening at $77,371 on Tuesday and recording an intra-day high of $77,478 the same day.
USD/JPY eased from levels near 159 that had previously drawn intervention warnings from Tokyo officials.
Traders are watching the yen carry trade. Borrowers funded in cheap yen buy higher-risk assets, including crypto. BOJ tightening forces costly position unwinds.
“Bank of Japan is setting up the next global crash! Japan warned inflation will rise again. June hike odds jumped to 64.4%. Last time this happened – Japan’s Nikkei had its worst day since 1987. The yen carry trade funded every risk asset rally this decade. Unwinding it = global bloodbath. It’s about to happen again,” analyst Qmo warned.
Past Ueda-era hikes have triggered Bitcoin drawdowns of 20% to 30% in the following weeks.
Ueda’s press conference and June meeting guidance will set the next leg of positioning. Investors are likely to track USD/JPY for any sustained move lower from current levels near 159, a key threshold for accelerating carry unwinds.
Beyond Japan, the Fed’s policy path and U.S. macro data remain the dominant variable for sustained Bitcoin direction, with chair Jerome Powell facing his last FOMC tomorrow, April 29.
