- U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs faced $1.2 billion in weekly outflows as Bitcoin slid to a four-month low.
- BlackRock, Fidelity and Grayscale recorded significant redemptions amid a 10% weekly decline in Bitcoin.
- Schwab says cryptocurrency interest is growing, with its clients holding 20% of U.S. crypto ETPs.
U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) endured a difficult week, registering more than $1.2 billion in total outflows as Bitcoin’s price dropped sharply.
Despite weakened institutional inflows, Charles Schwab reports rising investor engagement with crypto-linked products, reflecting growing interest from both retail and institutional clients in digital assets.
Large outflows hit Bitcoin ETFs
Data from SoSoValue show that the eleven U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded combined outflows of $366.6 million on Friday, capping a negative week for both the products and the broader crypto market.
The largest single-day withdrawal came from BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which saw $268.6 million redeemed in one day.
Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) also experienced substantial redemptions, totaling $67.2 million, while Grayscale’s GBTC saw $25 million of outflows. A smaller withdrawal was reported from the Valkyrie Bitcoin ETF, and other funds showed no activity on Friday.
Overall, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $1.22 billion in outflows over the past week, with only one day—Tuesday—showing modest inflows.
The declines coincided with a steep drop in Bitcoin’s price, which fell from above $115,000 on Monday to just under $104,000 on Friday, marking the lowest level in four months.
The sharp sell-off underscores how sensitive institutional products remain to Bitcoin price moves, as ETF investors appeared to withdraw amid rising market uncertainty.
Charles Schwab reports growing engagement with crypto products
While ETF redemptions signal cooling sentiment among some investors, Charles Schwab remains optimistic about the long-term potential for digital-asset investment products.
Speaking to CNBC, Schwab CEO Rick Wurster said Schwab clients now hold 20% of all U.S. exchange-traded products (ETPs) tied to cryptocurrencies.
He added that interest in cryptocurrencies has increased substantially over the past year, with website traffic to Schwab’s crypto-related pages up 90%.
“Crypto ETPs are very active,” Wurster said, emphasizing that the topic continues to draw strong investor interest.
ETF analyst Nate Geraci noted that Schwab’s large brokerage platform positions it well to capture future demand.
The firm already offers crypto ETFs and Bitcoin futures and plans to enable spot crypto trading for clients in 2026, signaling a long-term commitment to the sector even amid short-term volatility.
Bitcoin faces a rare October slowdown
October, historically one of Bitcoin’s stronger months, has so far produced disappointing results this year.
CoinGlass data show Bitcoin has gained in ten of the last twelve Octobers, yet this year the asset is down about 6% month-to-date.
Despite the pullback, some market analysts remain hopeful that the “Uptober” trend could return later in the month.
Many point to the possibility of Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year as a potential catalyst that could reignite demand for risk assets, including Bitcoin.
For now, however, the combination of ETF outflows, price pressure and macroeconomic uncertainty has weighed heavily on crypto sentiment—leaving investors watching to see whether the coming weeks can reverse October’s red start.