Crypto investment vehicles dumped cash last week in a move that startled many market watchers. According to CoinShares, crypto exchange-traded products saw about $1.73 billion of outflows — the largest weekly withdrawal since mid-November 2025.

The pullback came after a recent stretch of inflows, which left some investors caught between hope and caution. Reports say fading hopes for quick interest rate cuts, weak price momentum, and a sense that crypto has not yet played the inflation hedge role many expected helped drive the exit.

Flows Reverse Sharply

Big names felt the hit. BlackRock’s iShares led issuers with roughly $950 million leaving its coffers. Fidelity lost close to $470 million, and Grayscale saw withdrawals near $270 million.

In the regional front, the US accounted for the bulk of the movement, with nearly $2 billion exiting from that market alone.

Some managers did attract fresh capital — groups focused on volatility or niche strategies posted modest gains — showing that investors are shifting tactics rather than abandoning the sector entirely.

Who Pulled Money Out

Bitcoin and Ether were the largest contributors to the outflows. Combined, they comprise most of the $1.73 billion. Based on reports, Ether funds lost roughly $1.10 billion while Bitcoin-focused products shed about $630 million.

That split shows a renewed skepticism about large-cap tokens even as traders weigh macro signals. Smaller tokens told a mixed story: Solana drew about $17 million in inflows, while XRP and SUI saw withdrawals of a little over $18 million and $6 million, respectively.

Bitcoin Price Action

Meanwhile, price moves matched the money flow. Bitcoin traded in a choppy range and slipped below $90,000 at one point as risk appetite evaporated. But it did not cave in.

Periodic buying returned, and shorts were put under stress when prices bounced back. Traders are watching macro cues; weakness in sentiment has been paired with bouts of institutional interest, creating a seesaw battle that keeps volatility up.

What This Means For Traders

Market behavior suggests that confidence is unsettled, not totally evaporated. Reports note that investors are recalibrating timeframes and tools. Some are rotating into altcoins that look cheap to them, while others beef up hedges or step back from leveraged positions.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView