#Gate广场创作者新春激励 Understanding U.S. Non-Farm Payroll Data: Why Does It Influence Bitcoin's Price Movements?

On the night of the monthly non-farm payroll release, global digital currency investors focus their attention on these two numbers, as if they possess an invisible hand that can move the market.
    "U.S. Non-Farm Employment Data" and "Unemployment Rate" are the most closely watched indicators in global capital markets at the beginning of each month. On the surface, these two data points merely reflect the employment situation in the United States, but in reality, they can trigger intense fluctuations in global stock markets, forex markets, bond markets, and digital currency markets.
    Why does employment data from across the ocean affect Bitcoin's price?
There is a clear transmission chain behind this: Employment Data → Federal Reserve Policy Expectations → U.S. Dollar Global Liquidity → Risk Asset Prices. Understanding this chain can help investors better grasp market trends.
01 Core Indicators, a Double Act of Economic Thermometer and Blood Pressure Monitor   The U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls refer to the total number of new jobs added in the U.S. non-agricultural sector each month. You can imagine the entire U.S. economy as a giant company, and this number is equivalent to the number of new employees hired each month.
    The more people the company hires, the more it indicates business expansion and confidence in the future; conversely, fewer hires may signal contraction. This is the most direct "thermometer" for measuring economic health.
    The unemployment rate measures the proportion of people wanting to work but unable to find employment in the labor market. It is the economy's "blood pressure monitor," reflecting resource utilization efficiency and social stability. Usually, these two indicators move in sync: when the economy is good, employment increases, and unemployment decreases.
    However, short-term divergences can occur, such as during early economic recovery, when more people re-enter the job market, causing the unemployment rate to temporarily rise.
02 Transmission Hub, the Federal Reserve's Policy Balance   As the central bank of the United States, the Federal Reserve bears two core tasks: stabilizing prices and achieving maximum employment. Non-farm payroll and unemployment rate data are the main basis for assessing the progress of the "maximum employment" goal.
    When non-farm payrolls remain strong and the unemployment rate is at a historic low, the Fed worries about the economy overheating. Everyone has a job, wages are rising, and consumption is vigorous, which can push prices higher and trigger inflation.
    At this point, the Fed tends to step on the "brake" — raising interest rates to cool the economy.
    Conversely, when non-farm payrolls are weak and the unemployment rate soars, the Fed worries about recession. Companies stop hiring, people dare not spend, and economic vitality declines. The Fed then steps on the "accelerator" — lowering interest rates to stimulate investment and consumption.
    The Fed's decisions are entirely dependent on the "temperature" of economic data. This monthly "health report" determines the direction and intensity of monetary policy.
03 Global Liquidity, the Tides of the U.S. Dollar   The Fed's interest rate decisions have a global impact because the U.S. dollar is the world's primary reserve and trading currency. To understand this mechanism, imagine the dollar as an "employee" working worldwide.
    When the Fed raises interest rates, it means the "employee" in the U.S. can earn higher "wages" (interest income). At this time, dollars scattered around the world tend to "go home."
    Global investors will sell assets in other countries, including stocks and bonds in emerging markets, as well as risk assets like Bitcoin, converting funds back into dollars and flowing back to the U.S.
    This process results in two outcomes: the appreciation of the dollar and a "blood loss" in global risk asset markets.
    When the Fed cuts interest rates, the situation is the opposite. The "employee" dollar finds the returns in the U.S. too low and will seek higher yields elsewhere, injecting capital into global risk assets, often pushing prices up.
04 Expectation Game, the Battle of Data and Consensus   Market trading involves not only the data itself but also the gap between "expectation" and "reality." Before the data is released, the market has already formed a consensus and reflected this expectation in prices.
    If the actual data matches expectations perfectly, the market usually reacts calmly because there is no new information. If the data exceeds expectations, even if the data itself is "moderate," it may still lead to a decline in asset prices if it fails to meet the market's already-digested pessimistic expectations.
    This phenomenon is called "exhausted good news" or "exhausted bad news." Due to Bitcoin's high leverage and 24-hour trading, this expectation gap effect is amplified, often resulting in sharp, two-way price swings immediately after data release.
    After each non-farm payroll report, the steep peaks and valleys on Bitcoin price charts silently tell the story of rapid global capital reallocation. Traders watch the screens intently, their fingers hovering over buy and sell buttons, making decisions based on data interpretation and market psychology.
    In the Fed's conference room, officials scrutinize these employment figures, knowing that their next move will influence the gains and losses of a digital currency trader somewhere thousands of miles away.
    In this market maze woven from data and expectations, understanding the rules is more important than predicting the direction.