Bitcoin has surged past $124,000 following the release of the U.S. Federal Reserve's September meeting minutes, which revealed that nearly half of the FOMC members anticipate two additional rate cuts by the end of the year. This development comes after the Fed's recent 25 basis point rate cut, prompted by weak employment data, marking the first reduction in nearly a year. The minutes highlighted a shift from a hawkish to a more dovish stance among FOMC members, influenced by a weak job market and the ongoing government shutdown. Bitcoin, which briefly retreated from its recent high of $126,198.07, was trading at $123,506.78 at the time of reporting, reflecting a 1.7% increase over 24 hours and a 5.19% gain over the past week.