Bitcoin ETFs lose $681 million in the first week of the year
Hopes for sustained institutional adoption of spot Bitcoin ETFs are dashed by a sharp return of volatility. Considered pillars of stability in 2024, these products just recorded over $680 million in net outflows during the first week of 2026. This sudden reversal, amid monetary uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, calls into question their solidity within traditional finance and raises doubts about the market's ability to absorb long-term shocks.
While Bitcoin is flirting with $90,000, the first full week of 2026 ended with net outflows of $681 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs, according to data published by SoSoValue.
These sell-offs occurred over four consecutive sessions, from Tuesday to Friday, peaking on Wednesday, January 3, when withdrawals reached $486 million. The trend continued on Thursday (-$398.9 million) and Friday (-$249.9 million), offsetting the inflows observed earlier in the week, especially on Tuesday, January 2 (+$471.1 million) and Friday, January 5 (+$697.2 million).
These figures reveal a drastic shift in market sentiment. The momentum seen at the start of the year quickly gave way to a significant pullback. To better visualize the magnitude of flows during the week, the key figures are as follows:
Tuesday, January 2: +$471.1 million;
Wednesday, January 3: -$486 million;
Thursday, January 4: -$398.9 million;
Friday, January 5: +$697.2 million in the morning, canceled out by -$249.9 million in subsequent outflows;
Weekly total (BTC ETF): -$681 million;
Weekly total (ETH ETF): -$68.6 million, with net assets of approximately $18.7 billion.
