Bitcoin Surges Past $95,000 as ETF Inflows Hit Three-Month High
BlackRock's IBIT leads the charge as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs record significant capital influx, driving the cryptocurrency's price upward.
Bitcoin (BTC) surged to $96,000 overnight before settling around $95,000, levels not seen since early December. A robust influx of capital into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) fueled the rally.
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $753 million in inflows yesterday, marking the largest single-day intake in three months. The last comparable surge occurred in October, when BTC reached an all-time high of $126,000.
This significant inflow followed a $116 million entry the previous day, breaking a streak of four consecutive days of capital outflows.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) remains the primary beneficiary in this landscape, managing $73 billion in assets. This represents 59% of the total market share for Bitcoin-based investment products.
ETFs Propel Bitcoin’s Ascent
Inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs directly influence the cryptocurrency’s price, as fund managers must buy or sell Bitcoin to back their shares.
New capital requires these entities to acquire Bitcoin from the open market, boosting demand. Conversely, net outflows can compel ETFs to sell portions of their holdings.
This dynamic explains Bitcoin’s price momentum following the ETFs’ largest three-month inflow. However, this rally would likely not have materialized had there been significant selling pressure across the broader market.
This aligns with recent market observations. While demand may not currently be at optimal levels to push the price to new all-time highs, there is no widespread selling behavior.
A recent survey further indicated that U.S. financial advisors allocating cryptocurrencies to clients intend to either maintain or increase their holdings this year.
Bitwise CEO: Bitcoin Price to “Skyrocket” with Sustained ETF Demand
Matt Hougan, CEO of Bitwise, a firm issuing cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, expressed optimism regarding market performance. He emphasized that “the price of Bitcoin will skyrocket if ETF demand persists long-term.”
Hougan drew a comparison to the gold market to illustrate his point. He noted a common narrative suggesting gold’s 65% surge in 2025 was due to central bank purchases, but asserted that “the real story tells something different.”
He elaborated that central bank gold purchases “skyrocketed in 2022” after the U.S. confiscated Russian Treasury assets. Annual purchases then “jumped from about 500 tons to nearly 1,000 tons” and have remained steady since.
This demand increase shifted market equilibrium, yet the price impact was gradual. “Gold rose just 2% in 2022, 13% in 2023, and 27% in 2024,” Hougan stated, adding that “prices only skyrocketed” in 2025.
According to Hougan, this delay occurred because “during the initial years, central bank demand was met by individuals willing to sell their reserves.” Over time, he explained, “sellers ran out of ammunition.” From that point, “as demand persisted, prices exploded.”
Hougan believes the Bitcoin market is experiencing a similar dynamic with ETFs. Since their launch in January 2024, he stated, “ETFs have been buying more than 100% of the new Bitcoin supply.”
He clarified that the price has not yet fully reflected this imbalance. “The price hasn’t skyrocketed because existing holders have been willing to sell,” he noted, adding that this situation is not permanent.
“If ETF demand persists—and I believe it will—over time, these sellers will also run out of ammunition,” Hougan concluded. He believes this scenario could lay the groundwork for a sustained bullish movement in Bitcoin’s price.
