Largest ETF Inflow in Three Months Points to Renewed Institutional Buying in Bitcoin

U.S. Bitcoin ETF Inflows Hit Three-Month High as Flows Turn Positive

Bitcoin exchange-traded funds listed in the U.S. attracted $697.2 million in net inflows on Monday, marking their strongest single-day intake since Oct. 7, according to Farside data.

The surge lifts total inflows to roughly $1.2 billion across the first two trading days of 2026, coinciding with a nearly 7% rally in bitcoin (BTC $92,052), which has climbed from about $87,000 at the start of the year to just under $94,000.

Flow patterns suggest ETF activity has often signaled turning points in bitcoin’s price cycle. Since spot bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024, sustained periods of outflows — measured on a 30-day moving average — have tended to align with local market lows, according to Glassnode.

That relationship was evident in August 2024 during the yen carry trade unwind, when bitcoin fell to around $49,000, and again in April 2025 amid the so-called tariff tantrum, which marked a local bottom near $76,000.

After turning negative in October 2025, ETF flows now appear to be rotating back into positive territory. The shift is reinforced by the Coinbase premium index, which has rebounded toward slightly negative levels, signaling that selling pressure has eased and market conditions no longer resemble capitulation.