Bitcoin ETF Inflows Hit Record $1.2B in Single Day
Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded their largest single-day inflow on record yesterday, with $1.2 billion flowing into the nine approved products — a figure that surpasses the previous record set during Bitcoin's initial ETF launch week in January. The surge in institutional buying has pushed Bitcoin's price to new monthly highs above $72,000.
BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the inflows with $680 million in a single day, followed by Fidelity's FBTC with $280 million and ARK Invest's ARKB with $120 million. The remaining six products collectively accounted for the balance, with all nine products recording positive inflows — a rare occurrence that signals broad-based institutional demand rather than rotation between products.
The catalyst for the record inflows appears to be a combination of factors. Federal Reserve minutes released earlier in the week signaled a higher probability of rate cuts at the September meeting, prompting institutional investors to increase allocations to risk assets including Bitcoin. Additionally, several large registered investment advisors (RIAs) reportedly completed their internal due diligence processes and began allocating client capital to Bitcoin ETFs for the first time.
"When you see all nine ETFs recording positive inflows simultaneously, that's a signal of genuine new demand entering the market rather than just shuffling between products," said Sarah Chen, DMTV's Head of Markets. "The RIA channel is just beginning to open up. These firms collectively manage trillions of dollars, and even a 1% allocation to Bitcoin would be transformative for the market."
The inflows have had a direct impact on Bitcoin's price, with the asset rising 8% over the past week to trade above $72,000. On-chain data shows that the ETF custodians — primarily Coinbase Custody — have been accumulating Bitcoin at a pace that exceeds new supply from miners by a factor of approximately 10x, creating significant supply pressure.
Options markets have responded to the price action with a surge in call buying. The $80,000 strike for December expiry has seen particularly heavy activity, with open interest growing by 40% over the past week. The options market is pricing in a 35% probability of Bitcoin reaching $80,000 by year-end, up from 18% a month ago.
The record ETF inflows come as Bitcoin's on-chain fundamentals remain exceptionally strong. The number of Bitcoin addresses holding more than 1 BTC has reached an all-time high, while the percentage of supply that has not moved in over a year — a proxy for long-term holder conviction — sits at 70%, also near record levels.
Looking ahead, the next major catalyst for Bitcoin is the anticipated approval of options trading on spot Bitcoin ETFs by the SEC. Options on IBIT and other products would allow institutional investors to implement more sophisticated hedging and income strategies, potentially unlocking a new wave of institutional adoption from market participants who currently lack the tools to manage Bitcoin exposure efficiently.