Crypto & Forex August 29, 2026 0 Comments

Bitcoin Under $78K Sparks $202M Exodus from US Spot ETFs — Is a Major Market Shift Brewing?

Well, isn’t this a plot twist? After riding a wave of enthusiasm that pulled in a cool $3 billion over nine days, US spot Bitcoin ETFs took a sharp nosedive, bleeding out $201.81 million in a single Friday selloff. Talk about a reality check — total assets under management plunged back below the symbolic $100 billion mark, settling near $96.5 billion. Bitcoin, that ever-volatile beast, wasn’t exactly lending these funds much of a helping hand either. After flirting with the $81,000 level—thanks to some savvy moves in US Treasury buybacks—the price slipped back under $78,000, nudging institutional holders to pause and reconsider their positions. Makes you wonder: in this high-stakes game of digital gold, is momentum just an illusion or a cruel tease? Buckle up, because the shakeout reveals who’s really holding tight and who’s making a run for the exit. LEARN MORE

US spot Bitcoin ETFs hemorrhaged $201.81 million on Friday, snapping a nine-day winning streak that had attracted roughly $3.044 billion in fresh capital. The selloff pushed total assets under management across the 12 listed funds back below the psychologically important $100 billion threshold, settling at approximately $96.5 billion.

Bitcoin itself wasn’t doing the funds any favors. After briefly punching above $81,000 during a rally fueled by US Treasury buyback operations that improved liquidity conditions across risk assets, the price retreated below $78,000, giving institutional holders a reason to trim exposure.

Who sold what

ARK 21Shares’ ARKB was the biggest loser of the day, posting $114.89 million in net outflows. That’s more than half the total redemptions concentrated in a single product.

Bitwise’s BITB came in second with $49.69 million heading for the exits. BlackRock’s IBIT shed $33.40 million. VanEck’s HODL rounded out the notable losers at $13.17 million.

Morgan Stanley’s MSBT managed to attract $9.34 million in fresh capital, making it the lone bright spot in an otherwise grim session.

The nine-day inflow streak ran from August 17 through August 27 and included a single-day peak of $606.29 million on August 20. Losing $202 million after banking $3 billion is roughly a 6.6% giveback.

The macro backdrop

ETF holdings across all 12 spot Bitcoin funds sit near 1.244 million BTC, according to tracking data.

Despite Friday’s outflows, BlackRock’s IBIT maintained its position as the leading ETF by cumulative net gains for the year, according to data from Farside Investors, SoSoValue, and Sats Intel. The fund has consistently attracted the lion’s share of institutional capital since its launch, and a single day of $33 million in redemptions doesn’t meaningfully dent that track record.

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