The cryptocurrency investment landscape experienced a stark divergence in early May 2024, as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded their fourth consecutive week of outflows totaling $251 million, while Hong Kong’s newly launched crypto ETFs attracted $307 million in their debut week.
TL;DR
- Crypto investment products saw $251M in weekly outflows — the fourth straight week of negative flows
- U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs accounted for $156M of total outflows, with Fidelity’s FBTC leading at $131M
- Grayscale’s GBTC recorded $277M in outflows, but notably saw its first-ever daily inflow of $63M on May 3
- Hong Kong’s spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted $307M in their first week of trading
- Ethereum broke a 7-week outflow streak with $30M in fresh inflows
U.S. Bitcoin ETF Bleed Accelerates
According to CoinShares’ weekly report published on May 7, the digital asset investment product market experienced significant withdrawals, with the so-called “Newborn Nine” U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs bearing the brunt of the selling pressure. These funds, which launched to enormous fanfare in January 2024, accounted for over 60% of the total outflows, losing approximately $156 million during the reporting period.
Fidelity’s FBTC suffered the heaviest losses among the new issuers, with $131 million exiting the fund. Ark 21Shares’ ARKB was close behind, shedding $84 million. Even BlackRock’s IBIT, which had been the standout performer among the new ETFs, recorded a modest negative flow of $24 million.
Grayscale’s GBTC continued its established outflow pattern with $277 million withdrawn during the period. However, in a significant development, the fund recorded its first-ever daily net inflow of $63 million on Friday, May 3, since converting from a closed-end trust to a spot ETF in January. Bloomberg data confirmed the milestone, which temporarily halted GBTC’s massive outflow streak.
Automatic Sell Orders Triggered
James Butterfill, CoinShares’ head of research, offered a compelling explanation for the wave of selling. “We estimate the average purchase price of these ETFs since launch to be $62,200 per bitcoin,” he noted. “As the price fell 10% below that level, it may have triggered automatic sell orders.”
With Bitcoin trading around $62,334 on May 7 according to CoinMarketCap data, the price had indeed approached this critical threshold, potentially explaining the accelerated outflows as institutional and retail investors hit stop-loss levels.
Hong Kong ETFs Defy Global Trend
In sharp contrast to the U.S. experience, Hong Kong’s newly launched spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted $307 million in inflows during their first week of trading. The products, which began trading on April 30, saw their peak daily fund flow on May 6, with $23.1 million entering the Bitcoin ETFs alone.
The enthusiasm surrounding the Hong Kong launches was further amplified by rumors that the products could eventually be added to the Stock Connect facility, which would allow qualified mainland Chinese investors to access them. Richard Byworth, managing partner at Syzcapital, fueled speculation with a social media post stating there was “talk” in Hong Kong about this possibility, calling the implications “absolutely enormous.”
Ethereum and Select Altcoins Find Favor
While Bitcoin bore the brunt of institutional selling, Ethereum snapped a seven-week streak of negative flows by recording $30 million in inflows. The shift suggested that some investors were rotating capital from Bitcoin into Ethereum and alternative cryptocurrencies.
Several altcoins also attracted modest institutional interest. Avalanche, Cardano, and Polkadot each recorded inflows of approximately $0.3 to $0.5 million. On the spot market, Solana’s SOL and XRP showed notable relative strength, gaining 4% to 6% even as Bitcoin declined 1.5% on May 6.
Why This Matters
The divergent performance of U.S. and Hong Kong Bitcoin ETFs highlights a geographic shift in crypto investment flows. While U.S. investors appeared to be de-risking amid regulatory uncertainty — a trend compounded by Robinhood’s receipt of a Wells Notice from the SEC on the same day — Asian markets were showing increasing appetite for regulated crypto exposure.
GBTC’s first inflow since conversion could signal that the worst of Grayscale’s outflow pressure may be easing, though it remains too early to call a trend reversal. Meanwhile, the potential inclusion of Hong Kong’s crypto ETFs in the Stock Connect program would represent a watershed moment, potentially unlocking access for millions of mainland Chinese investors.
With Bitcoin hovering around $62,334 and the market searching for direction, the interplay between U.S. regulatory pressure and Asian institutional demand will likely define the next phase of crypto price action.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
GBTC getting a $63M daily inflow on May 3 was wild. first one since conversion. wonder if that was institutional or just a glitch in the matrix
four consecutive weeks of outflows is rough. FBTC losing $131M in a single week after being the darling issuer says something about sentiment shifting
ARKB shedding $84M is concerning. Wood has been super vocal about crypto but the outflows tell a different story about what investors actually want
hk pulling $307M in its debut week while the US bleeds is a clear signal. capital flows where the regulatory clarity is
ETH breaking its 7-week outflow streak with $30M inflow is quietly the most bullish datapoint in this whole report