Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs Lose More Than $9 Billion in Four Months

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cleared spot bitcoin exchange-traded products in January 2024, followed by spot ether funds that began trading that July, giving investors regulated brokerage access to the two largest cryptocurrencies. Daily creations and redemptions in products run by BlackRock, Fidelity, Grayscale and others have since become a key gauge of institutional demand and short-term risk appetite, particularly when crypto prices turn volatile.

On Wednesday, July 29, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs posted $32.1 million in net inflows, ending four consecutive trading days of withdrawals. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led subscriptions, offsetting redemptions from Fidelity’s FBTC and the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB). Spot ether ETFs, by contrast, swung to $18.65 million in net outflows. The divergence came as bitcoin and ether edged lower, suggesting demand for bitcoin-linked funds recovered despite the modest pullback in token prices.

U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have become a key gateway for conventional investors seeking exposure to the cryptocurrency since their 2024 debut. Daily creations and redemptions are closely watched as a gauge of institutional demand and broader risk appetite. The reversal matters because the funds had just attracted nearly $1 billion over seven consecutive sessions, raising hopes that demand was stabilizing after an extended period of withdrawals.

The funds recorded $225.2 million of net outflows on July 23, 2026, according to SoSoValue, ending the seven-session inflow streak. BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for $202.5 million of the total, while Bitcoin briefly fell to $64,600 and the Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped to 28, firmly in fear territory. Redemptions continued on July 24 with another $240.1 million withdrawn, bringing the two-day outflow to about $465.3 million, of which IBIT contributed nearly $415 million.

U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds give investors regulated exposure to the two largest cryptocurrencies through conventional brokerage accounts. Their creations and redemptions have become a closely watched gauge of institutional demand and risk appetite, particularly because U.S. products account for most global crypto ETF assets and trading volume. Daily flow data from SoSoValue can also show whether price moves are supported by fresh capital or driven mainly by trading in the underlying tokens.

SoSoValue data showed spot Ethereum ETFs posted $70.62 million in net outflows on Friday, July 24, ending a five-session run that had attracted $211.25 million since July 17. The funds nevertheless took in $103.9 million for the week, their third consecutive weekly gain. Spot Bitcoin ETFs lost about $465 million across July 23 and July 24, ending a seven-day inflow streak, but retained a $33.79 million weekly net inflow and likewise recorded a third straight positive week.

Spot cryptocurrency ETFs have become an important gateway for traditional institutional investors seeking exposure to digital assets, with fund flows offering a direct gauge of Wall Street’s risk appetite and confidence in cryptocurrencies. After several weeks of weak flows, the market has recently shown signs of a reversal. Daily net flows into and out of spot bitcoin and ether ETFs have therefore become key indicators of the crypto market’s short- and medium-term direction and institutional activity.

U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $85 million on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, ending a three-day inflow streak, according to market data. Spot ether ETFs bucked the trend with $70.5 million in net inflows, marking a fifth consecutive trading day of gains. Fidelity Investments’ ether fund, FETH, was the main driver, attracting as much as $69.2 million in a single day and underscoring strong buying support.

Since their approval and launch in 2024, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs have become an important channel through which major asset managers such as BlackRock attract institutional capital. They are also viewed as a gauge of market risk appetite. As cryptocurrencies entered a bear market, investors began pulling money from the funds, reflecting reduced bitcoin exposure, though portfolio rebalancing and short-term liquidity management may also have played a role.

By the end of June 2026, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs had recorded $4.5 billion in monthly net outflows, their worst month since launch. On a rolling 30-day basis, outflows reached as much as $6.35 billion, or about $6.4 billion. BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for about 79% of June’s outflows, while Strategy raised just $1.25 billion over the same period.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have served as Wall Street’s main conduit for crypto demand since their January 2024 launch. The sustained withdrawals suggest risk appetite is shifting as AI and semiconductor stocks rally. However, Bloomberg analysts said most existing investors have stayed put and that some of the outflows may reflect the unwinding of arbitrage trades.

The selloff initially set a record with about $2.8 billion in net outflows over nine consecutive trading days, including $1.3 billion in a single week. The streak later extended to 13 trading days, with cumulative outflows reaching $4.4 billion. Bitcoin briefly fell below $70,000, while concerns that Strategy might sell its holdings fueled volatility. Some analysts nevertheless view the persistent outflows as a contrarian indicator that the market may be approaching a local bottom.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs in January and July 2024, respectively, giving investors access to crypto exposure through traditional brokerages. Creations and redemptions in these products affect fund holdings and market liquidity, making daily flows at major firms such as BlackRock and Fidelity an important gauge of institutional demand and pressure on crypto prices.

According to SoSoValue, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of $3.05 million on June 4, ending 13 consecutive days of outflows totaling more than $4.4 billion since mid-May. BlackRock’s IBIT attracted $47.66 million. Ether ETFs drew $19.3 million after 17 straight days of outflows, with the entire inflow coming from ETHA. Three HYPE ETFs launched on May 12 took in $12.15 million that same day, lifting their assets to $185 million. Each has posted net inflows every day since its debut.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved spot Bitcoin ETFs on January 10, 2024, allowing investors to gain price exposure through traditional brokerages. Because fund creations and redemptions affect demand in the spot market, flows have become an important gauge of institutional risk appetite and Bitcoin's near-term momentum.

As of Wednesday, June 10, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs had recorded combined net outflows of about $1.26 billion over five trading days. The $635 million outflow that day was the largest since late January. Amid concerns about U.S. inflation and caution ahead of the Federal Reserve's June 17 decision, Bitcoin failed to break above its 200-day moving average and retreated to about $79,400.

US spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs give investors exposure to crypto assets through regulated funds. Their flows are also viewed as key gauges of institutional demand and market sentiment. Simultaneous withdrawals from products run by major asset managers such as BlackRock typically signal weakening risk appetite.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $290.4 million in net outflows on May 15, with six funds losing capital. BlackRock's IBIT accounted for about 47% of the total, or an estimated nearly $137 million. Spot Ether ETFs posted $65.7 million in net outflows the same day, marking their fifth consecutive trading day of losses.

U.S. spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs are key channels for institutional capital moving into and out of the crypto market, and their flows are often viewed as a gauge of demand. The products had attracted inflows for four consecutive weeks, but the U.S.-Iran conflict drove up oil prices and inflation concerns. Markets even shifted from expecting a Federal Reserve rate cut in June to anticipating a rate increase, dampening risk appetite.

In the week ended March 27, 2026, the 11 U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $296.18 million, while Ether ETFs lost more than $200 million, according to SoSoValue. Bitcoin ETFs saw $225.5 million in outflows on March 27 alone, with $201.5 million coming from BlackRock’s IBIT. On Monday, March 30, BTC rose nearly 2% and ETH gained more than 3%, but the fund outflows limited the scope for further gains.