Updated

Bitcoin and ethereum prices declined on September 15, 2026, as crypto markets traded cautiously ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming policy meeting. Investors have grown more risk-averse amid uncertainty over the path of interest rates, with digital assets tracking broader moves in equities and bonds. The decline steepened as bitcoin tumbled roughly 3% to $76,000 amid fading hopes that the CLARITY Act, which would establish a regulatory framework for digital assets, will pass Congress this year. The stalling legislation has added a fresh source of uncertainty for crypto holders already contending with rate-hike expectations, with analysts noting that regulatory clarity had been seen as a potential catalyst for renewed institutional inflows.