BlackRock Continues to Lead Bitcoin ETF Flows as Rivals Withdraw – Ether ETFs Face Capital Flow Pressure

The cryptocurrency ETF market on May 15 witnessed a clear divergence as money continued to flow into Bitcoin, while Ether funds witnessed capital flight. The highlight was BlackRock, with the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) continuing to consolidate its leading position by attracting $409.72 million in inflows – single-handedly shouldering the entire net increase of the day.

The total net inflow into Bitcoin ETFs reached $114.96 million, despite several other large funds such as ARKB (-$132.05 million), FBTC (-$123.66 million), and GBTC (-$39.06 million) recording negative inflows. Trading volume across the industry remained high at $2.58 billion, indicating positive market sentiment and institutional money has not left Bitcoin.

For the second time this month, BlackRock has played the role of “keeping the pulse” on Bitcoin ETFs. Total assets now stand at $121.47 billion – further bolstering the argument that BTC remains the preferred asset for long-term investors.

In contrast, the Ether ETF space has come under pressure as flows have begun to slow after two days of modest gains. A total of $39.79 million was withdrawn from ether funds on the day. Fidelity’s FETH fund was hit the hardest, losing $31.62 million, followed by Grayscale’s ETHE with $16.60 million.

The only bright spot came from ETHA – BlackRock’s own ether fund – with a modest $8.43 million in inflows. However, that wasn’t enough to turn things around. The total net assets of the ether ETFs ended the day at $8.74 billion, with nearly $495 million in trading value.

The contrast between Bitcoin and Ether flows clearly reflects institutional investor preferences amid volatile global markets. With IBIT consistently receiving large inflows, BlackRock is not only asserting its leadership role but also reshaping the balance of power in the crypto ETF space.