Bitcoin broke through the $81,000 mark on August 25, 2026, recording a surge of over 20% in the past week alone. This price jump immediately triggered a cascade of liquidations across derivatives markets. A total of $225 million in short positions was wiped out in a 10-minute span right as Bitcoin tapped its peak price.
Heavy Inflows Flood Spot ETF Markets
The price rally coincided with an institutional accumulation trend. Based on Monday trading data, US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $337.6 million in net inflows. This extended the positive inflow streak to six consecutive days, bringing total accumulated inflows to $2.26 billion. Last week’s performance also marked the strongest weekly record since October 2025, bolstered by a $1.92 billion capital injection.
These capital inflows have driven institutional asset values to new highs. Cumulative inflows since Bitcoin ETFs launched have now reached $54 billion. This addition brought total net assets across all Bitcoin ETF products to around $98.56 billion. The influx of fresh capital also curbed net outflows since the start of the year, narrowing them to just $2.57 billion.
This positive momentum extended beyond Bitcoin. All crypto spot ETF instruments recorded inflows during the August 24 session. Spot Ethereum ETFs posted $115.57 million in inflows, while Solana ETF products pulled in $33.49 million. At the same time, XRP ETFs recorded inflows of $13.82 million. In response to these numbers, market sentiment shifted. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index climbed to 74, signaling a “Greed” phase - its highest optimism level since October 2025.
A Dramatic Turnaround for Saylor’s Portfolio
Bitcoin’s move above $80,000 completely reshaped the balance sheets of major players. The crypto portfolio of Strategy, Michael Saylor’s entity, now holds an unrealized profit of $4.7 billion. Citing data from on-chain tracker Lookonchain, this achievement represents a sharp reversal from last week, when its books were still burdened with a $9.5 billion loss.
For those betting on a correction, the sudden jump to $81,000 acted as a market trap. The wiping out of a quarter-billion dollars in futures positions within 10 minutes demonstrates how swiftly the market can punish the opposing side. As long as institutional capital continues to flow in via ETFs and absorb open selling pressure, short sellers will remain the first to absorb the hit.
Reported by @WatcherGuru on X.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
