Bitcoin ETFs Post $1.42B Weekly Outflows as May Worst Ends
US spot Bitcoin ETFs ended May with worsening selling pressure. In the latest week, net outflows hit about $1.42B, extending a month-long bearish trend. Flows deteriorated after Bitcoin failed to reclaim the ~$82,000 resistance area and rolled over again.
By issuer, BlackRock’s IBIT led the withdrawals at -$966.42M. Fidelity’s FBTC (-$169.15M) and Grayscale’s GBTC (-$175.09M) also saw large outflows, while Bitwise’s BITB recorded -$46.30M. Smaller products showed roughly $20–30M outflows, with some funds reporting flat net flows.
Daily data from May 26–29 reinforced the downtrend: net outflows were -$333.71M (Tue), -$733.43M (Wed), -$228.88M (Thu), and -$125.31M (Fri). Only 6 of 20 trading days in May closed positive, and outflows occurred every session in the second half, bringing total monthly net outflows to about $2.43B (2026’s largest monthly outflow and since Nov 2025).
Traders should note the longer-term cushion: despite the drawdown, spot Bitcoin ETFs still hold cumulative net inflows of about $55.66B since 2024, with total net assets around $94.17B (~6.38% of BTC market cap). At the time of writing, BTC trades near $74,012, while spot volume is sharply lower.
Bearish
This is bearish for BTC in the short term because Bitcoin ETFs show persistent net selling. The article links the outflow surge to BTC’s inability to reclaim the ~$82,000 resistance zone, which increases the odds that ETF-driven liquidity continues to pressure spot demand. The second-half-of-May pattern—outflows every session—suggests traders are de-risking rather than waiting for a dip.
However, the longer-term impact is less catastrophic: the market still has large cumulative net inflows since the 2024 launch, which can help limit downside if outflows slow. Still, until spot Bitcoin ETF flows stabilize and BTC holds higher support, the path of least resistance remains downward or choppy, with ETF flow headlines likely to dominate near-term sentiment.