Bitcoin & Ethereum ETFs see $1.03B weekly outflows as SOL/XRP gain

Published: 2026-05-18 17:06:32 |

Bitcoin ETF flows flipped sharply after a strong start, turning into heavy redemptions. Investors added $27.29M on day one, then saw -$233.25M on Tuesday, a record -$635.23M on Wednesday, a partial rebound on Thursday (+$131.31M), and another -$290.42M on Friday. Total Bitcoin ETF net outflows for the week reached $1.039B, linked to risk-off sentiment amid high U.S. inflation and rising volatility. Ethereum ETFs also weakened, with about $255M in weekly outflows. The two markets saw simultaneous large withdrawals from institutional portfolios, signalling more selective allocation. However, Solana and XRP-based products posted meaningful inflows, supporting a rotation within crypto rather than a broad selloff of the whole asset class. The article also cites a report that Harvard’s endowment trimmed crypto ETF exposure in Q1 2026, reinforcing that traditional allocators are rebalancing. For traders, the key signal is that Bitcoin ETF outflow pressure may keep near-term upside capped for BTC/ETH, while capital dispersion can improve relative opportunities in SOL and XRP.

Bearish

Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs saw large, synchronized weekly outflows ($1.039B for Bitcoin ETFs and ~$255M for Ethereum ETFs). This typically signals reduced near-term demand from institutions and can pressure spot pricing for BTC and ETH as creation/redemption flows worsen liquidity conditions. The high-volatility, risk-off backdrop mentioned in the article increases the probability of continued redemption rather than a quick reversal. The positive inflows into SOL and XRP suggest diversification, but that doesn’t offset the bearish impulse for BTC/ETH itself. In the short term, traders may fade rallies and tighten risk around BTC/ETH as ETF flow data remains a real-time catalyst. In the medium/long term, the “selective allocation” theme may shift institutional positioning toward alternative protocols, potentially keeping BTC/ETH demand more volatile until macro conditions improve and ETF flows stabilize.