Bitcoin stalls under $88K as US spot BTC ETFs record $825M+ outflows in five days

Published: 2025-12-25 12:57:20 |

Bitcoin (BTC) traded below $88,000 as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows for a fifth consecutive trading day, totaling more than $825 million over that period. On Dec. 24 the 12 tracked spot ETFs posted $175.29 million in outflows, led by BlackRock’s IBIT (≈$91.37M). Grayscale’s GBTC and Fidelity’s FBTC also saw notable withdrawals. December outflows are roughly $804.3M so far, adding to a broader trend of several hundred million to multi-billion dollar outflows since October (earlier reports cited ~ $3.5B net outflows over the prior month). Analysts attribute selling pressure to seasonal factors—Christmas liquidity thinness and tax-loss harvesting—plus positioning ahead of a large Deribit options/futures expiry (~$23.6B) due Dec. 26. Technical indicators point to near-term weakness: BTC trading below its 50-day SMA, bearish MACD, and a potential bearish flag on the daily chart. Immediate support sits around $85,200, with a break possibly targeting the Nov. 21 low near $80,757. Key resistance is near the $91k area (23.6% Fib noted in earlier analysis). Market commentators expect flows to recover after seasonal pressure eases, but institutional demand appears weakened and short-term downside risk is elevated. This summary is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.

Bearish

The combined reports point to sustained institutional outflows from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, seasonal selling and tax-loss harvesting, and positioning ahead of a large Deribit expiry — factors that increase near-term selling pressure. Technical indicators align with this sentiment: BTC below the 50-day SMA, a bearish MACD, and a potential bearish flag on the daily chart indicate elevated downside risk. Immediate support around $85,200 is the first test; a decisive break would likely target the November low near $80,757. While analysts expect flows to recover after seasonal distortions and expiration-related moves settle, the current mix of weakened institutional demand and technical bearishness supports a short-term bearish outlook for BTC price action. Over the longer term, recovery is possible if ETF inflows resume and macro/liquidity conditions improve, but that hinges on clear fundamental or technical reversal signals.