Bitcoin ETFs Suffer Outflows, While Ethereum Attracts $170 Million

• Bitcoin ETFs See Outflows After Market Turmoil
• Ethereum Funds Amass Strong Institutional Inflows
• US-China tensions and sell-offs affect crypto sentiment

Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of $104,1 million on Wednesday (15), while Ethereum ETFs attracted $169,6 million in new inflows, reflecting a contrasting investor behavior after the market collapse the previous week. The move reinforces the caution of managers and traders who are still analyzing the effects of the recent widespread sell-off in the cryptocurrency sector.

According to flow data, Grayscale's GBTC led the outflows with $82,9 million, followed by Invesco's BTCO, which registered $11,1 million. BlackRock's IBIT fund also showed an outflow of $10,1 million, while the other ETFs remained unchanged. The negative result reversed the $102,7 million gains made the previous day, continuing the pattern of volatility observed since Friday's crash.

On the other hand, Ethereum ETFs showed strong demand, particularly BlackRock's ETHA, which received $164,3 million in new inflows. Bitwise's ETHW added $12,3 million, and Fidelity's FETH received $1 million. Only 21Shares' CETH registered outflows of $8 million, while the other funds had neutral flows.

Since the beginning of the market crisis, Bitcoin ETFs have accumulated outflows of $332,3 million, while Ethereum ETFs have seen net losses of $197,6 million. Investors' conservative behavior is influenced by macroeconomic factors, such as the new US tariffs imposed on China and the US government shutdown, which have affected global risk appetite.

The recent turmoil was exacerbated by US President Donald Trump's announcement of 100% tariffs on all Chinese imports in response to Beijing's export restrictions on rare earth metals. The incident triggered a cascade of liquidations worth over $20 billion, the largest liquidation event in crypto history by market value.

Although Bitcoin recovered to around $115.000 earlier this week, volatility remains high. Analyst Vetle Lunde of K33 Research noted:

“the structural effects of the reversal mean that liquidity is likely to remain low as market participants recover from forced selling,”

adding that deleveraging phases tend to generate periods of short-term stagnation, but can also open space for a future recovery when stability returns.