[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang] U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $681 million of outflows in the first week of 2026 alone, Cointelegraph reported on Friday.
The analysis said investors shifted to risk-avoidance strategies as U.S. Federal Reserve rate policy and geopolitical risks combined.
The outflows came for 4 consecutive days. There were inflows of $471.1 million on Jan. 2 and $697.2 million on Jan. 5, but large-scale selling followed immediately.
On Jan. 6, $486 million flowed out in a single day, accelerating the decline. Spot ether ETFs showed a similar pattern, posting weekly outflows of $68.6 million. Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at Chronos Research, said investors are taking a cautious stance as the likelihood of a first-quarter rate cut falls and geopolitical risks rise.
Chi-gyu Hwang
delight@d-today.co.kr