Why Arbitrum (ARB) & Zcash (ZEC) Price Defying the Crypto Market Ahead of FOMC?

The crypto market is facing renewed pressure ahead of the FED’s FOMC decision after the US Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act in a 49-50 procedural vote. Bitcoin price briefly dropped below $75,000 while Ethereum dropped toward $2,358 amid the regulatory setback. Yet the Arbitrum (ARB) price and Zcash (ZEC) price show notable resilience against the broader market weakness. 

The key question is whether these coin-specific catalysts can continue to support ARB & ZEC while the broader crypto market remains under pressure. 

Arbitrum Holds Firm as Institutional Adoption Narrative Gains Momentum

At times when BTC & ETH prices are struggling, the Arbitrum price climbed by more than 12% to $0.15. The major catalyst is Standard Chartered initiating coverage of ARB, pointing to Arbitrum’s growing role in institutional blockchain infrastructure. The launch of Robinhood Chain, which is built using Arbitrum technology, has also strengthened the narrative around real-world asset tokeniztion and institutional adoption. 

Arbitrum price is attempting to recover after a sharp pullback from the $0.19 area, with price currently near $0.1543. The latest recovery is backed by a sharp surge in trading volume, indicating significantly higher market participation during the move from the $0.08 area. ARB price has since pulled back from the $0.18-$0.19 bearish order block and found support around the $0.13-$0.135 bullish order block. Holding this demand zone keeps the recovery structure intact. The immediate resistance sits at $0.1598, followed by $0.1848, and a breakout could expose the rally to $0.20 resistance, and a loss may drag the rally towards $0.12 support. 

Zcash Holds Up as Privacy Narrative Gains Momentum

The Zcash price is showing resilience as the broader crypto market weakens ahead of the FOMC decision. The latest boosts came from the NU7 upgrade vote, which Zcash holders approved with nearly 2.4 million ZEC participating. The upgrade introduces 25-second block times while maintaining the existing halving schedule. At the same time, nearly 4.9 million ZEC, or about 28.9% of the total supply, is held in shielded pools, reducing the amount of supply immediately available in transparent markets. 

Zcash (ZEC) is holding near $1,202 after a sharp breakout above the long-standing $727 resistance, with price continuing to trade inside a rising channel. The breakout was accompanied by increased trading activity, which has pushed the ZEC price near the channel’s upper boundary, $1,359, as the next major resistance. Besides, the CMF remains positive near $0.5, indicating continued capital inflows. 

The Bottom Line: FOMC Remains the Key Test for ARB & ZEC

Arbitrum and Zcash are standing apart from the broader crypto market as traders turn cautious ahead of the FOMC decision. ARB is being supported by institutional adoption and growing blockchain infrastructure activity, while ZEC has gained attention from its privacy narrative, network developments and expanding ETF access. 

The Fed decision could now determine whether this divergence continues. A hawkish policy signal could bring renewed selling pressure across risk assets, while a softer stance may allow the individual catalysts behind ARB and ZEC to remain in focus.