- U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs experienced $1.2 billion in weekly outflows as Bitcoin fell to a four-month low.
- BlackRock, Fidelity and Grayscale reported large redemptions amid Bitcoin’s 10% weekly decline.
- Charles Schwab says crypto interest is rising, with its customers owning 20% of U.S. crypto ETPs.
U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) faced a difficult week, recording more than $1.2 billion in total outflows as Bitcoin prices slipped sharply.
Despite the pullback in institutional inflows, Charles Schwab reports growing investor engagement with crypto-related products, reflecting rising interest from both retail and institutional clients in digital assets.
Heavy outflows hit Bitcoin ETFs
Data from SoSoValue shows that the eleven U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs collectively saw $366.6 million in outflows on Friday, capping off a negative week for those products and the broader cryptocurrency market.
The largest single-day withdrawal came from BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which lost $268.6 million in redemptions on that day alone.
Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) also experienced significant redemptions totaling $67.2 million, while Grayscale’s GBTC recorded $25 million in outflows. Smaller withdrawals were reported from the Valkyrie Bitcoin ETF, and the remaining funds showed little to no activity on Friday.
In total, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.22 billion in outflows over the past week, with only one day—Tuesday—registering modest inflows.
The outflows coincided with steep declines in Bitcoin’s price, which dropped from just above $115,000 on Monday to just under $104,000 by Friday, marking the lowest level in four months.
The sharp sell-off underscores how sensitive institutional products remain to Bitcoin’s price action, with ETF investors appearing to retreat amid heightened market uncertainty.
Charles Schwab reports rising engagement with crypto products
While ETF redemptions point to cooling sentiment among some investors, Charles Schwab remains upbeat about the long-term potential for investment products tied to digital assets.
In a CNBC interview, CEO Rick Wurster revealed that Schwab’s customers now own 20% of all crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) in the United States.
He added that interest in crypto has grown substantially over the past year, with visits to the firm’s crypto-related web pages up 90%.
“Crypto ETPs have been very active,” Wurster said, emphasizing that the theme continues to attract strong investor engagement.
ETF analyst Nate Geraci noted that Schwab’s large brokerage platform positions the firm well to capture future demand.
Schwab already offers crypto ETFs and Bitcoin futures and plans to launch spot crypto trading for clients in 2026, signaling a longer-term commitment to the sector despite short-term volatility.
Bitcoin faces a rare October decline
October, historically one of Bitcoin’s stronger months, has so far delivered disappointing results.
CoinGlass data indicates Bitcoin has risen in ten of the past twelve Octobers, but this year the asset is down about 6% through the month to date.
Despite the pullback, some market analysts remain hopeful that the “Uptober” trend could reassert itself in the second half of the month.
Many point to the potential for Federal Reserve rate cuts later in the year as a catalyst that could revive 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 to watch whether the coming weeks can reverse October’s weak start.