Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded a strong capital inflow based on October's figures.

The cryptocurrency financial markets this week demonstrated a clear shift in the behavior of major investors. Exchange-traded funds focused on spot trading of Bitcoin and Ethereum, registered in the US, attracted a significant volume of funds, showing results that are the most impressive since October. This turn signals a substantial return of professional capital to the cryptocurrency market after a period of heightened caution.

Billions of dollars flowing into spot ETFs

Analysis data show a significant influx into spot Bitcoin funds. Eleven Bitcoin ETFs traded in the US accumulated a net inflow of $1.42 billion last week. This figure represents the largest weekly total since the second week of October, according to data from the analytical platform TradingView.

Leading this movement is IBIT from BlackRock — the world’s largest asset management company. This fund alone attracted $1.03 billion. Alongside growing interest in Bitcoin, activity is also observed in the Ethereum segment. Spot ETH ETFs gained an inflow of $479 million, also noted as the highest weekly capital inflow since early October. The BlackRock-managed ETHA fund contributed $219 million of this volume.

Significant capital accumulation figures for the year indicate sustained interest in these instruments. Since the beginning of this year, Bitcoin ETFs have attracted a total of $1.21 billion in investments, while Ethereum ETFs received $584.9 million.

Return of institutional capital to the crypto market

Market analysis experts highlight a key aspect of these processes: the majority of these inflows represent long-term bullish positions rather than short-term speculative operations. This indicates an active return of the so-called “sticky” institutional capital, which was less active in previous periods.

It is worth noting that previously, a significant part of activity in the spot ETF market was related to arbitrage schemes like “cash and carry.” Such operations involved simultaneously opening long positions in ETFs and short positions in futures traded on CME. However, the profitability of such strategies has recently become less attractive to traders, leading to a reorientation of capital toward direct investments.

CoinDesk’s analytical department notes in its assessment that this transformation in the composition of capital flows indicates a paradigm shift in market participant behavior. If previously the increase in volumes was associated with superficial activity and speculation, now there is a fundamental rethinking of strategies by major players.

How ETF inflows influence price movements

The current price movement demonstrates high sensitivity to capital inflows into funds. Bitcoin over the past month has increased by 6%, reaching $88,040. Ethereum showed an approximate profit of 8%, reaching $2,930 according to current quotes as of the analysis date (January 29, 2026).

The correlation between the volume of fund inflows and price dynamics allows for an important conclusion: institutional capital actively creates the direction of market movements, rather than simply following retail sentiment. This situation significantly differs from late 2025, when Bitcoin faced price pressure despite relatively modest ETF inflows.

Experts emphasize that the current dynamics reflect the positioning of institutional investors in anticipation of expected changes in regulatory environment and macroeconomic conditions in the first quarter of 2026. This preliminary positioning indicates that major players expect favorable conditions for the cryptocurrency market in the near future.

Trend development prospects

For the current momentum to transform into a sustainable upward trend for Bitcoin and Ethereum prices, it is necessary to maintain or expand the volume of capital inflows into ETFs. It should be remembered that at the end of 2025, the market experienced significant outflows amounting to many billions of dollars, which exerted pressure on quotes.

Related developments in the crypto market complement the picture of the current state. Projects oriented toward consumer demand demonstrate interesting development dynamics. For example, digital assets in gaming and goods production show potential for expansion beyond purely speculative space. At the same time, derivative instruments demonstrate moderate volatility with a gradual increase in demand for protective strategies.

The community of projects focused on scalability and network interoperability continues to develop mechanisms to support token prices through buyback programs, indicating a mature level of market infrastructure development.

Conclusion

The processes currently occurring in the cryptocurrency ETF market, particularly the capital inflows into Bitcoin and Ethereum funds, demonstrate a fundamental shift in the perception of the attractiveness of the crypto market by the institutional investor class. The indicators of this week, comparable to October in terms of capital flow intensity, suggest a possible reassessment of risks and prospects. The stability and expansion of these inflows will remain key factors in determining future price movements over the coming quarters of 2026.