Crypto ETF inflows surged last week as investor appetite for digital assets rebounded sharply, led by Ethereum products and strategic Bitcoin purchases by major institutional players. According to CoinShares, digital asset investment products recorded a net total of $224 million in inflows, signaling renewed confidence in the crypto market despite volatility tied to macro-political tensions.
Ethereum ETFs Lead the Charge
Ethereum-based exchange-traded products dominated the flow charts, drawing $296.4 million in inflows, marking the seventh consecutive week of positive movement. That brings Ethereum ETF inflows to $1.5 billion over the last two months — accounting for 10.5% of total assets under management in ETH-linked funds, according to CoinShares’ Head of Research, James Butterfill.
These steady gains underscore growing institutional confidence in Ethereum’s long-term value proposition, especially as its transition to proof-of-stake and scalability upgrades continue to mature.
Bitcoin ETFs See Outflows, But IBIT Breaks Records
In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs recorded $56.5 million in outflows for the week — the second consecutive week of investor pullback. However, there were signs of a mid-week reversal, with U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs noting brief inflows on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to outflows on Thursday.
That volatility coincided with a political clash between Donald Trump and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk over Trump’s proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Musk slammed the bill for its projected $3 trillion increase to the U.S. deficit, warning that Trump’s protectionist tariffs could spark a U.S. recession. In response, Trump retaliated by threatening to cut off government subsidies to Musk’s ventures.
Despite the drama, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) hit a major milestone — surpassing $70 billion in assets under management. This makes IBIT the fastest ETF to ever reach that figure, beating the previous record set by SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD), which took 1,691 trading days. IBIT accomplished the feat in just 341 days, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
Strategy Deepens Bitcoin Exposure
Meanwhile, Strategy, a leading business intelligence firm, announced it acquired 1,045 BTC for $110.2 million, paying an average of $105,426 per BTC. The firm now holds 582,000 BTC, purchased at a blended cost of $70,086 per coin.
This latest purchase follows the company’s $1 billion upsized Series A Perpetual Stride Preferred Stock (STRD) offering, reinforcing its reputation as the most aggressive corporate holder of Bitcoin. Strategy’s ongoing BTC accumulation continues to inspire smaller firms to add crypto exposure to their balance sheets.
For example, The Blockchain Group recently partnered with French asset manager TOBAM to launch a €300 million ATM-style capital program aimed at building its Bitcoin treasury reserves.
Bitcoin Climbs on Global Tariff Talks
Bitcoin (BTC) responded positively to news of productive trade talks between U.S. and Chinese officials in London, gaining 2% on Monday and trading above $108,000. Market watchers say any progress on tariff reductions or avoidance of economic retaliation could improve investor sentiment and reduce market headwinds.
Crypto ETF Inflows Signal Strategic Shifts
The recent crypto ETF inflows — especially those led by Ethereum — point to a possible rebalancing of institutional strategies. While Bitcoin remains the dominant crypto asset, Ethereum’s evolving ecosystem and real-world applications are drawing renewed interest from fund managers.
In parallel, record-breaking ETF milestones like IBIT’s ascent to $70 billion highlight how mainstream crypto investment vehicles are becoming deeply embedded in the broader capital markets landscape.
As the crypto industry navigates ongoing political uncertainty, shifting regulatory winds, and a maturing investment environment, these developments suggest that crypto ETF inflows will be a key metric to watch in assessing institutional sentiment and long-term adoption.
As institutional interest intensifies and political developments continue to sway investor sentiment, the pace and direction of crypto ETF inflows could shape the next major wave of digital asset adoption.
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