How Ethereum reacted to the Personal Consumption Expenditures on 13 March 2026

The short answer

Hardly a reaction. In the 15 minutes after the figure came out, Ethereum's price swung 0.84 times as much as in a normal 15 minutes that day. For a PCE release, 1.79 times is usual. An hour later the price was 2.48% higher.

0.84x

Quiet

Trading (volume ratio)
1.31x
usual for PCE: 2.13x
Price at 8:30 AM
$2,130.16
15 minutes later
−0.04%
One hour later
+2.48%
range 3.37%, hour before 0.94%
ETH/USDT, 5 minutes candles around the release, 8:30 AM America/New York

The dashed orange line is the release. Chart data from Binance.

Open
2,133.00
Close
2,092.05
24h change
-1.96%
24h high
2,209.03
24h low
2,078.50
24h volume
548,106 ETH

The release

Released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on 13 March 2026 at 8:30 AM EDT. The Personal Consumption Expenditures came in at 0.3% for January 2026, against 0.3% in December 2025. Prices are rising at the same pace as before.

It arrived at the same moment as Durable Goods Orders, Durable Goods Orders Excluding Transportation, Gross Domestic Product Report, Personal Income and Outlays and Core Personal Consumption Expenditures, so the reaction measured on this page belongs to all of them together.

Measured by Clometrix

Ethereum's volatility ratio was 0.84x, against 1.79x for a typical PCE release since 2021. Its volume ratio was 1.31x, against a typical 2.13x. Under 1.5x is not a reaction at all: the market barely noticed this release. Both compare the quarter hour of the release with an ordinary quarter hour that same day, where 1.00x is no change: volatility is how far the price ranged, volume how much traded.

How Ethereum moved

Ethereum was at $2,130.16 when the figure came out. Fifteen minutes later it was unchanged, and an hour later 2.48% higher. Its high-to-low range in the hour after was 3.37% of its price, against 0.94% in the hour before.

What made it matter

Since 2021, PCE releases in the two weeks before a Fed decision have moved Ethereum about as much as those at other times: a median volatility ratio of 1.86x across 18, against 1.72x across 52. This one came out 5 days before the Federal Reserve's 18 March rate decision. Its own ratio of 0.84x compares with 1.86x for those, so it moved the price less than its circumstances would suggest.

What it means

Ethereum posted a volatility ratio of 0.84x in the quarter hour after the data, well below the 1.80x median observed for PCE events since 2021, while volume rose only 1.31x against a typical 2.15x. Both readings fall below the 1.5x threshold that marks any measurable reaction.

Price movement stayed correspondingly contained. Ethereum opened the interval at $2,130.16, remained flat fifteen minutes later and stood 2.48 percent higher after one hour, its hourly range expanding to 3.37 percent from 0.94 percent beforehand.

The outcome is notable because the release landed five days before the March FOMC decision. PCE prints in that window have produced a median volatility ratio of 1.86x for Ethereum across eighteen prior cases. The observed 0.84x therefore sits materially below both the event norm and the level recorded for comparable pre-decision releases. Traders may conclude that clustered data near a policy meeting can still generate limited volatility when the figures themselves align closely with expectations. Each subsequent PCE release will need evaluation against its own market backdrop.

How it compares

Across 70 PCE releases since 2021, Ethereum's usual price swing is 1.79x. This one was 0.47 times the usual.

MutedOrdinaryStrongExceptional

Thin line: PCE's usual, 1.79x. Thick line: this release, 0.84x. Under 1.5x counts as no reaction at all.

Minute by minute

Each row is the time after the release, with the same length of time before it for comparison.

After High Low Close Change Range Range before Volume
1 minute 2133.40 2129.28 2132.32 0.10% 0.19% 0.06% 468 ETH
5 minutes 2135.69 2129.28 2129.92 -0.01% 0.30% 0.22% 2,128 ETH
10 minutes 2135.69 2128.14 2131.50 0.06% 0.35% 0.52% 4,044 ETH
15 minutes 2135.69 2128.14 2129.36 -0.04% 0.35% 0.52% 4,586 ETH
30 minutes 2153.17 2128.14 2146.63 0.77% 1.16% 0.82% 24,869 ETH
1 hour 2200.00 2128.14 2183.00 2.42% 3.27% 0.93% 80,791 ETH
2 hours 2209.03 2128.14 2196.37 3.01% 3.66% 0.93% 134,452 ETH
4 hours 2209.03 2111.36 2119.73 -0.49% 4.42% 1.97% 244,924 ETH
6 hours 2209.03 2090.28 2103.85 -1.25% 5.38% 2.25% 295,814 ETH
8 hours 2209.03 2096.04 2119.73 1.00% 5.11% 2.74% 314,088 ETH
12 hours 2209.03 2078.50 2092.05 -1.82% 5.91% 2.74% 356,012 ETH

Every coin at this release

Coin Price swing Usual for PCE Reaction
Bitcoin 1.28x 2.03x Quiet
Ethereum 0.84x 1.77x Quiet
XRP 0.00x 1.81x Quiet
BNB 1.01x 1.75x Quiet
Solana 1.12x 1.57x Quiet
Dogecoin 2.39x 1.52x Strong
TRON 1.00x 1.43x Quiet
Cardano 2.10x 1.90x Ordinary
Chainlink 0.80x 1.62x Quiet
Sui 0.00x 1.53x Quiet
Bitcoin Cash 1.39x 1.69x Quiet
Hedera 1.31x 1.51x Quiet
Avalanche 1.55x 1.55x Ordinary
Litecoin 1.14x 1.64x Quiet
Gram Not measured 1.32x -
Shiba Inu 2.56x 1.75x Strong
Uniswap 1.47x 1.49x Quiet
Polkadot 0.00x 1.50x Quiet
Aave 1.21x 1.58x Quiet
Bittensor 1.22x 1.68x Quiet
NEAR Protocol 1.00x 1.43x Quiet
Aptos 1.30x 1.73x Quiet
Internet Computer 1.00x 1.50x Quiet
POL (prev. MATIC) 1.93x 1.60x Ordinary
Filecoin 1.00x 1.51x Quiet

What is the Personal Consumption Expenditures?

Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) is a measure of the prices people in the United States pay for goods and services. PCE accounts for about two-thirds of domestic spending and is a significant driver of gross domestic product (GDP). An estimated total of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) is compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis as one way to measure and track changes in the prices of consumer goods over time.

Every PCE release for Ethereum

Questions about this page

Is 0.84x a lot?

No. Under 1.5x the market barely noticed the release.

Will the next PCE do the same?

Nobody can say. A forecast shows the range Ethereum moved in after past PCE releases, so you can plan for the likely size of the move.

What is PCE, and why does the Fed watch it?

PCE is the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Federal Reserve measures its 2 percent inflation goal with the PCE price index. PCE, Core PCE and Personal Income are released together at 8:30 a.m. ET and share one reaction. Their median Bitcoin price swing since 2021 is 2.03x, which places them in Tier 2.

More questions · Glossary

Disclaimer

The data analysis, forecasted results and projections provided herein are based on historical price action and market trends. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, these predictions are speculative and should not be considered a guarantee of future performance. Market conditions can change rapidly, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Trading and investing involve significant risk, and you should conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. We do not assume any liability for any losses that may result from reliance on this information.