Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETF products listed on US exchanges have just posted combined net inflows of $2.61 billion. These fund flows were recorded in just five business days during the trading period of August 17-21, 2026. This amount marks the strongest combined weekly performance for both categories of crypto funds since October 2025.
However, the distribution of funds into these instruments highlights one dominant name.
Who Dominates the Fund Flows
Of the total fresh capital inflows, spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in the lion’s share of $1.917 billion, representing 73% of the combined total over five consecutive trading sessions. This weekly intake specifically for Bitcoin managed to surpass the January record of $1.42 billion. This achievement also marks the highest record since the week of October 6-10, 2025, when similar instruments attracted $2.71 billion.
In the altcoin camp, spot Ether ETF products also played their part, contributing 27% of the total combined weekly inflows. The investment instrument tracking the Ethereum asset posted net inflows of $185 million specifically during the closing trading session on Friday, August 21.
Behind these combined figures, asset manager BlackRock holds control over the majority of institutional flows. Their two flagship products, IBIT for Bitcoin and ETHA for Ether, absorbed $390 million on Friday’s trading session alone. This figure secured a 79% share of the total $492 million daily inflows shared by all ETF issuers in the United States at the close of the work week.
Wiping Out Derivative Bets
The wave of capital flowing in through ETFs coincided with Bitcoin’s spot price crossing the $70,000 mark again. This rapid increase immediately squeezed derivative market participants holding short positions or betting that the price would fall. As a result, the market recorded mass liquidations of short positions worth nearly $3 billion.
Despite these large figures for inflows and liquidations, LVRG Research Director Nick Ruck cautioned market participants against drawing immediate conclusions about the trend’s direction. Ruck warned that this inflow trend could still be temporary. The crypto market is currently still awaiting certainty from more structural market catalysts to lock in price movements.
Institutional momentum has indeed put pressure back on the exchanges this week, but the question remains whether this capital is here to stay. As reported by crypto.news.
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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.
