Ether ETFs Outpace Bitcoin in Weekly Outflows as Crypto Funds Lose $610 Million
Ether ETFs lead wider crypto fund withdrawals
Ether exchange-traded funds lost $320.1 million between Oct. 12 and Oct. 16, 2026, surpassing Bitcoin ETF outflows of $228.4 million during the same period. An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, lets investors buy exposure to a cryptocurrency through a traditional stock market product.
The shift did not come from a sudden wave of ether selling. Both Bitcoin and ether outflows actually slowed compared to the previous week. Bitcoin withdrawals dropped 66% from $678.9 million the week before, while ether outflows eased from $542.2 million.
The crossover reflects a sharper deceleration in Bitcoin selling rather than an acceleration in ether exits.
Key numbers from the week
- Ether ETFs: $320.1 million in net outflows
- Bitcoin ETFs: $228.4 million in net outflows
- Solana ETFs: $25.5 million in net outflows
- Zcash ETF: $19.2 million in net outflows
- Hyperliquid ETFs: $17.5 million in net outflows
- Total across five tracked groups: $610.7 million in net outflows
For context, SoSoValue data as of Oct. 16 showed Bitcoin ETF net assets at $104.29 billion and ether ETF net assets at $14.95 billion.
Midweek sell-off drove most losses
Oct. 14 was the weakest day for both asset classes. Bitcoin funds lost $261.4 million, with Fidelity's FBTC accounting for $152.7 million and BlackRock's IBIT for $110.9 million. Ether funds lost $129.5 million that day, nearly all of it ($109.8 million) coming from BlackRock's ETHA.
However, the selling was not steady throughout the week. Both Bitcoin and ether funds attracted money on Oct. 13, with Bitcoin pulling in $175.7 million and ether taking in $24.8 million. Bitcoin also saw a small $5.1 million inflow on Oct. 15.
Ether funds ended the week with three straight days of outflows, finishing with a $69.7 million withdrawal on Oct. 16 — all from ETHA.
What is confirmed
The weekly flow figures come from The Defiant's calculations based on daily data from Farside Investors. The data covers five specific ETF groups — Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, Hyperliquid, and Zcash — and does not represent every U.S. crypto ETF. Net asset figures for Bitcoin and ether ETFs are from SoSoValue's dashboard as of Oct. 16.
Why this matters
Ether ETFs have long trailed Bitcoin in total assets under management. The fact that ether outflows exceeded Bitcoin's in a single week — despite holding far less capital — signals a notable shift in short-term investor behavior, even if the broader trend of slower selling across both assets tempers the urgency.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.