The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is expected to increase its short-term interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% during its meeting on December 18-19. Prediction markets indicate a 95% probability of this rate hike, marking a potential shift away from negative interest rates. This anticipated move by the BOJ is likely to have significant implications for global financial markets, including cryptocurrencies. On-chain data reveals that traders are closely monitoring altcoins for potential volatility, while some analysts predict that Bitcoin could face downward pressure as a result of the rate adjustment.