Cryptocurrency ETFs record a triumph in the market: a week of record inflows amid the return of institutional capital

Spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ether trading in the US experienced one of the strongest weeks in the past three months. Against the backdrop of growing interest from major investors, funds attracted billions of dollars in new capital — a phenomenon that analysts see as the beginning of a new phase of market recovery. Notably, this surge in investment demand coincides with expectations of positive regulatory developments and macroeconomic shifts in the first quarter.

Wave of Institutional Capital: What Does the Return of Big Money Look Like

Eleven spot Bitcoin ETFs registered a net inflow of $1.42 billion last week — the most significant figure since the second week of October. Leading the way was BlackRock’s IBIT product, which alone attracted $1.03 billion. Simultaneously, spot Ether ETFs demonstrated no less impressive dynamics, recording an inflow of $479 million — the highest weekly result since early fall. The BlackRock ETHA fund contributed a substantial part of this volume, attracting $219 million.

Since the beginning of this year, total inflows into these funds have amounted to $1.21 billion for Bitcoin and $584.9 million for Ether, indicating increasing interest from professional portfolio managers in crypto assets.

Revolution in Strategies: Long-Term Holdings Instead of Speculative Schemes

Experts emphasize a fundamental difference between the current wave of inflows and previous periods. Most new investments represent positions aimed at long-term holding rather than short-term arbitrage. Previously, investors actively employed a “cash and carry” strategy, simultaneously holding long positions in ETFs and short positions in CME futures, which was profitable when swap spreads exceeded certain thresholds. However, the decline in returns from this scheme led to a mass shift of professionals toward pure long positions.

This shift in large-capital behavior creates a qualitatively different market dynamic. If at the end of last year Bitcoin was struggling despite moderate ETF interest, today the direction of inflows and price movements show a close correlation, indicating active market structure formation by institutional players.

From $600 to New Highs: Cryptocurrency Prices in Focus

Price dynamics confirm the strength of this inflow. This month, Bitcoin has risen approximately 6%, climbing to around $92,600, while Ether has gained nearly 8%, reaching a price of $3,200. According to the latest data at the time of analysis, Bitcoin is trading at about $87,670 (down 1.97% daily), while Ether is near $2,910 (down 3.42% daily).

These movements indicate volatility typical of markets accepting large volumes of new capital, but the overall trajectory remains upward amid increasing institutional participation. The crossing of price levels previously serving as support at $600 and above demonstrates a recovery in momentum after periods of market pressure.

What’s Next for Cryptocurrency ETFs: Outlook and Conditions

For this current momentum to translate into sustained price growth, it is crucial that capital inflows into ETFs continue to develop. Recall that the end of last year was marked by massive outflows totaling billions of dollars, and now the market needs consistent positive dynamics to reverse this trend.

According to CoinDesk analysis, current institutional activity correlates with expectations of improved regulatory climate and macroeconomic conditions in early 2026. This focus on long-term factors distinguishes the current growth cycle from short-term speculative spikes that characterized other periods of the market.

The main question remains the stability of this capital. If institutional players continue to channel new funds into spot funds, Bitcoin and Ether prices could settle at new levels. Otherwise, the market may face volatility typical of periods of transformation of price benchmarks.