In a strong signal of renewed institutional confidence, spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded significant inflows in April and early May 2026, reversing a prolonged negative trend.
On May 1, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted net inflows of $630 million, underscoring sustained institutional demand. Meanwhile, spot Ethereum ETFs posted $101 million in inflows, marking a recovery after recent outflows and reflecting steady investor interest in regulated crypto products.
April 2026 proved to be a landmark month overall. Spot Bitcoin ETFs drew nearly $2 billion in net inflows, the best monthly performance since October 2025. The surge followed a four-month streak of outflows, which ended in March with $1.32 billion in net inflows. Thanks to the strong March and April performances, year-to-date cumulative inflows for Bitcoin ETFs now stand at approximately $1.5 billion. Leading the pack was BlackRock's IBIT, followed by Fidelity's FBTC.
Before this turnaround, Bitcoin ETFs had experienced a turbulent period. After record-setting inflows of over $6 billion in July 2025 and roughly $3.5 billion per month in September and October, the tide turned in November 2025 with withdrawals totaling $1 billion. Outflows continued with $1.6 billion in January 2026 and $206 million in February. March’s $1.32 billion inflow broke the losing streak, setting the stage for April’s robust performance.
The Ethereum ETF landscape also saw a vital inflection point. After suffering a painful five-month negative streak—the worst in their history—spot Ethereum ETFs posted $356 million in net inflows in April 2026. The bleeding had started in November 2025 with $1.42 billion in outflows, followed by $616 million in December, $353 million in January, $370 million in February, and $46 million in March. Despite April's recovery, the year-to-date performance for Ethereum ETFs remains negative, with over $410 million in net outflows over the first four months of the year. BlackRock's ETHA fund leads among Ethereum ETFs, ahead of Fidelity's FETH.
The consistent inflows in both Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs highlight a growing appetite for regulated crypto exposure, with ETFs continuing to serve as a primary gateway for institutional capital entering the digital asset market.
