US-based spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds kicked off 2026 with strong investor demand, pulling in a combined $646 million in net inflows on the first trading day of the year, even as broader crypto market sentiment remained cautious.
Data from Farside shows that spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $471.3 million in net inflows on Friday, while spot Ether ETFs added $174.5 million. Together, the two products brought in $645.8 million.
The inflows marked the strongest day for US spot Bitcoin ETFs in 35 trading sessions. The last time the group saw a larger single-day inflow was Nov. 11, when total inflows reached $524 million across the 11 US-listed funds.
Spot Ether ETFs also posted their best performance in weeks, recording their largest one-day inflow in 15 trading sessions. The previous high was Dec. 9, when inflows totaled $177.7 million.
ETF flows are often viewed as a gauge of institutional and mainstream investor interest in crypto, as well as a potential indicator of short-term price direction.
Despite the strong start to the year, Bitcoin and Ether prices have struggled over the past month. Bitcoin is down about 1.6% over the past 30 days, while Ether has fallen roughly 1.4%, following a volatile period in October that saw heavy liquidations across crypto derivatives markets.
Cautious sentiment is also reflected in the Crypto Fear & Greed Index, which has remained in “Fear” or “Extreme Fear” territory since early November. The index returned to “Extreme Fear” on Sunday, with a reading of 25.
Still, some industry executives see the recent ETF inflows as a sign that institutional investors are returning. Wal, chief marketing officer at Tonso, said in a post on X that many institutions sold Bitcoin in late 2025 for tax-loss harvesting and are now reentering the market.
“Now they’re buying again — this is just the beginning,” he said.
Despite market weakness toward the end of last year, US investors poured more than $31.7 billion into crypto ETFs in 2025. Spot Bitcoin ETFs accounted for the bulk of that demand, attracting $21.4 billion in net inflows during the year, though that figure was down from $35.2 billion in 2024.
Featured image from: cointelegraph.com