Chainlink Drops, Then Bounces 4% as FOMC Volatility Drives Crypto Market

Chainlink’s native token LINK LINK$18.41 recovered to $18.40 during the Wednesday session, reversing losses from a sharp intraday selloff that saw the price fall below the key $18 support level.

A sudden volume spike of 4.59 million tokens — 178% above the 24-hour average — confirmed the breakdown as sellers overpowered short-term support levels. The token briefly consolidated between $17.80 and $18.30 before buyers stepped in late in the day, CoinDesk Research's market insight tool suggested.

The rebound coincided with the broader crypto markets stabilizing after a Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's slightly hawkish speech, which saw bitcoin BTC$111,562.74 briefly dipping below $110,000.

LINK was up roughly 4% over the past 24 hours.

What traders should watch

Despite the downside move, underlying accumulation trends remain in play. Since early October, approximately $188 million worth of LINK has been pulled off exchanges by whale wallets, indicating strategic long-term positioning. Still, recent price swings show that near-term resistance near $18.60 continues to trigger profit-taking, muddying the short-term outlook.

Volume rose 26% above the seven-day average as traders reacted to heightened volatility. The sharpest price decline occurred in the 60-minute window between $18.03 and $17.96, extending a bearish pattern that appears to have exhausted by the session close. Extremely light volume in the final trading hour points to a possible slowdown in institutional selling.

For now, LINK's ability to hold above $18 will be a key signal. A sustained move higher could push the token back toward the $19 level, but failure to hold the line may expose downside toward the $17.60 support floor.

Key technical levels signal consolidation

• Support/Resistance: Critical support established at $17.60 with immediate resistance at $18.50-$18.80.
• Volume Analysis: 26% surge above weekly averages confirms breakdown legitimacy, though diminishing activity suggests pause in selling.
• Chart Patterns: Range-bound consolidation between $17.80-$18.30 following initial breakdown through $18.00.
• Targets & Risk/Reward: Reclaiming the $18 level opens way to $18.50-$18.80 resistance zone, while failure to hold $17.60 may extend declines toward $17.00.