Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs See $872 Million Inflow as Prices Rise

Wall Street Returns to Crypto ETFs with $872 Million Surge

US spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) received nearly $900 million in fresh capital on Thursday. Bitcoin funds alone attracted $730.8 million, marking their third-largest daily inflow of 2026. Ethereum ETFs added another $141.4 million.

The move coincided with Bitcoin climbing above $81,000 and Ethereum surpassing $2,500. ETFs are investment products that allow traders to buy shares representing underlying assets like cryptocurrencies without holding the digital coins directly. This rally broadened a recent price increase that had initially relied heavily on short sellers being forced to buy back their positions.

Key Numbers Behind the Rally

• Total US spot Bitcoin and Ether ETF inflows: $872.2 million
• Bitcoin ETF inflows: $730.8 million (third-largest of 2026)
• Ethereum ETF inflows: $141.4 million
• BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF accounted for roughly $454 million, or 62% of total Bitcoin inflows
• Bitcoin futures open interest rose above $57 billion, its highest level since May
• More than $260 million in short positions were liquidated during the advance

Demand Concentrated Among Major Funds

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) was the primary destination for Bitcoin capital, pulling in about $454 million. ARK 21Shares’ ARKB added $137.7 million, and Fidelity’s FBTC drew $74.4 million.

Ethereum demand was similarly concentrated. BlackRock’s ETHA and Fidelity’s FETH attracted a combined $137.2 million, which represented almost all of the category’s net inflow.

Spot Demand Fuels Derivatives Market

Simon-Peter Massabni, head of business development at XS.com, told CryptoSlate that flows of this size absorbed substantial sell orders and helped lift spot prices despite rising sovereign bond yields in the US and Japan. He argued that the stronger spot market quickly spilled into leveraged trading as Bitcoin pushed higher.

The liquidation of short positions added momentum as traders betting against Bitcoin were forced to buy back their positions. However, elevated leverage increases the risk that a sudden reversal could trigger another round of forced selling.

Inflows Follow Recent Volatility

The latest surge stands in contrast to recent erratic flows. Bitcoin ETFs swung from a $236.5 million outflow on Sept. 1 to a $101.1 million inflow the following day before Thursday’s large addition. Ethereum funds had posted a $48.2 million outflow on Sept. 2, ending a 12-session inflow streak, before reversing sharply.

This pattern suggests that while fresh capital is joining the rally, it remains unclear whether investors are committing to a sustained accumulation cycle or simply trading through another sharp swing in a volatile market.

Why Institutional Capital Matters

The return of nearly $900 million in institutional capital signals renewed confidence from Wall Street players. ETFs have become a primary gateway for traditional finance to gain exposure to crypto, and large inflows often reinforce price stability and market depth.

What Remains Unclear

While Thursday’s data is the strongest evidence yet of fresh capital entering the market, it does not confirm a long-term trend. The recent back-and-forth in flows highlights how quickly institutional positioning can change.

• CryptoSlate