- U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $635 million in total net outflows on May 13, led by BlackRock’s IBIT.
- Spot Ethereum ETFs also saw $36.30 million in net outflows, with BlackRock’s ETHA posting the largest single-day loss.
U.S. spot crypto ETFs had a rough session on May 13. Spot Bitcoin funds recorded $635 million in total net outflows, while spot Ethereum ETFs also ended the day in negative territory. SoSoValue
IBIT leads a broad Bitcoin ETF pullback
BlackRock’s IBIT posted the largest single-day net outflow among spot Bitcoin ETFs, with $285 million leaving the fund, according to SoSoValue. That matters because IBIT has been one of the strongest vehicles in the category since launch. It has deep liquidity, strong institutional recognition and, for long stretches, acted almost like the default entry point for large investors seeking spot Bitcoin exposure through a regulated wrapper.
A one-day outflow does not automatically mean demand has broken. ETF flows are noisy. Large desks rebalance. Funds take profits. Basis trades get unwound. Some investors reduce risk before macro data, rate decisions or volatile market windows. Sometimes the movement says more about positioning than conviction.
Still, $635 million in aggregate outflows is large enough to matter. It shows that, at least on that day, the steady bid from ETF channels weakened sharply. For Bitcoin, that channel has become part of the market’s daily plumbing.
When spot ETFs absorb capital, issuers usually need to source Bitcoin or maintain exposure through creation mechanisms. When redemptions dominate, that support fades, and the market has to rely more heavily on native exchange demand, corporate buyers, and broader risk appetite.
The IBIT outflow is especially important because BlackRock’s fund is often treated as a barometer for institutional appetite. If smaller funds bleed while IBIT absorbs inflows, the market can still read that as healthy consolidation. When IBIT itself leads the outflows, traders tend to pay closer attention.
Ethereum funds also see redemptions
The pressure was not limited to Bitcoin. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recorded total net outflows of $36.30 million. BlackRock’s ETHA saw the largest single-day outflow in the group, at $21.10 million.
The Ethereum number is much smaller than the Bitcoin figure, but the direction is still relevant. ETH ETFs are newer, less deeply embedded in institutional portfolios and still fighting for a clearer narrative. Bitcoin sells itself as digital scarcity and a macro hedge.
Ethereum is more complex. Investors have to weigh smart-contract activity, staking economics, tokenized asset growth, layer-2 usage and the broader question of whether ETH should be treated as a commodity-like reserve asset, a technology exposure, or something in between.
That makes Ethereum ETF flows more sensitive to sentiment. A modest outflow can carry more weight if investors are still deciding how much ETH exposure belongs in a traditional allocation. The absence of staking yield in many ETF structures also remains part of the debate, because holders of spot ETH through funds may not receive the same economic profile as direct on-chain participants.
