Bitcoin ETFs See Fresh Inflows as Investors Test the Waters After Fed Rate Cut
US spot Bitcoin ETFs extended their rebound on Friday, posting a third straight day of inflows after weeks of steady outflows — a small but encouraging sign that investor sentiment may be stabilizing.
According to data shared by market analyst Wu Blockchain, Bitcoin ETFs recorded $49.16 million in net inflows on December 12, adding to earlier gains this week. While modest, the move builds on stronger inflows of $237.44 million on Thursday and $150 million on Tuesday, based on figures from SoSoValue.
BlackRock Carries the Sector
The gains, however, were narrowly concentrated. Of the 11 US-listed Bitcoin ETFs, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) was the only fund to attract fresh capital on Friday. Without IBIT’s inflows, the broader Bitcoin ETF market would have ended the day in the red.
Even so, the streak of positive flows marks a shift after a prolonged period of investor caution.
Fed Rate Cut Fails to Spark a Crypto Rally
The improvement in ETF flows comes despite lingering skepticism following the Federal Reserve’s 25-basis-point rate cut announced earlier this week.
While lower rates are typically supportive of risk assets, the Fed’s signal that it may pause further cuts in 2026 dampened enthusiasm across crypto markets. As a result, demand for crypto ETFs remains muted, and prices for major assets continue to consolidate.
Bitcoin is currently trading around $90,142, while Ethereum sits near $3,118, both showing only modest gains over the past week.
Ether Sees Outflows, XRP Extends Winning Streak
Elsewhere in the crypto ETF market, performance was mixed.
Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded $19.41 million in net outflows on Friday, although BlackRock’s ETHA stood out as the only Ether fund to attract inflows, pulling in $23.25 million on the day. Despite the single-day outflows, Ethereum ETFs still logged more than $250 million in net inflows this week, suggesting institutional interest remains intact despite recent volatility.
XRP spot ETFs, meanwhile, continued to outperform. The funds attracted $20.17 million in net inflows on Friday, extending their streak to 19 consecutive days of positive flows.
That said, XRP’s price has yet to reflect the momentum. The token is trading around $2.03, down nearly 19% over the past 30 days.
Cautious Optimism Returns
Overall, the data points to a market slowly regaining confidence — but without the exuberance seen earlier this year. While Bitcoin and XRP ETFs are drawing fresh capital, investors remain selective, favoring established products and waiting for clearer signals from both the Fed and the broader market before committing more aggressively.
