Record Inflows in Global Crypto Exchange-Traded Products
Last week marked a historic moment for global crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) as they registered a remarkable inflow of US$3.75 billion (approximately AU$5.76 billion), according to a report by CoinShares. This surge occurred despite some negative outflows from US Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on Friday.
Ethereum Leads the Charge
Ethereum (ETH) emerged as the primary catalyst for this impressive inflow, witnessing its price soar to a new high of US$4,756 (AU$7,311) for 2025. This was an extraordinary 220% increase since April, although it still falls short of its all-time high from 2021. However, following its peak, Ethereum underwent a correction, settling at around US$4,320 (AU$6,642), marking a decline of nearly 9%.
In the realm of US spot ETFs, Ethereum funds significantly outpaced their Bitcoin counterparts, garnering US$2.8 billion (AU$4.3 billion) in net inflows, even amidst US$59.3 million (AU$91.2 million) in outflows on Friday. In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs recorded merely US$547.6 million (AU$842.2 million) in net inflows, with Friday experiencing US$14.1 million (AU$21.7 million) in outflows.
ETP Performance Breakdown
For the past week, Bitcoin ETPs accumulated US$552 million (AU$849 million) while Ethereum dominated with US$2.86 billion (AU$4.4 billion) in inflows. Other notable performances included Solana (SOL) with US$176.5 million (AU$271.4 million) and XRP with US$125.9 million (AU$193.6 million). Sui recorded small inflows of US$11.2 million (AU$17.2 million), while Litecoin experienced minor outflows.
Interestingly, BlackRock emerged as a leading player, with its iShares contributing a staggering 85% of the total market flows, underlining its significant role in the crypto investment landscape. The total assets under management reached an all-time high of US$244 billion on 13 August, thanks in part to a substantial increase in cryptocurrency prices.
US Dominates ETP Flows Amid Record Trading Volume
The United States accounted for an impressive US$3.725 billion (AU$5.72 billion) of the total global inflow, highlighting its dominance in the crypto ETP market. Meanwhile, investors from Brazil, Germany, and Sweden capitalised on profit-taking, as illustrated in accompanying charts.
Last week also witnessed an unprecedented trading volume, amounting to around US$40 billion. Notably, Ethereum alone contributed US$17 billion (AU$26.1 billion) to this volume. Eric Balchunas, an ETF analyst at Bloomberg, noted that this volume was equivalent to that of a top-five ETF or a top-ten stock, demonstrating the growing significance of cryptocurrencies in the broader investment arena.
In summary, the recent wave of capital inflow and trading activity in crypto ETPs indicates a robust and evolving market, mainly driven by Ethereum’s performance amid a positive sentiment shift in the cryptocurrency space. As institutional interest and trading volumes continue to rise, the landscape of digital assets is undoubtedly cementing its place within the financial ecosystem.
