Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attract $646M on first day of trading in 2026

Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted $645.8 million on January 2. In a market that is still hesitant, this volume is surprising. It marks the strongest day of entries in more than a month for Bitcoin products and an unprecedented peak since December for Ether. While 2025 ended with a decline, this upsurge is striking.

A marked return of flows towards crypto ETFs

On January 2, 2026, spot ETFs on Bitcoin and Ethereum listed in the United States experienced a particularly significant influx of capital, contrasting with the prevailing gloominess of the market.

According to Farside data, Bitcoin ETFs saw $471.3 million in net inflowswhile Ethereum ETFs attracted $174.5 million. These amounts make this day one of the strongest in terms of recent fundraising.

For bitcoin, this is the best score in 35 days, while for Ethereum, it is the largest inflow in 15 days, surpassing that of last December 9.

Here is the important facts to remember:

• The Bitcoin ETF: +$471.3 million in one day, highest level since November 11, 2025 ($524 million);

• The Ethereum ETF: +$174.5 million in one day, best performance since December 9, 2025 ($177.7 million);

• The combined total of flows: $645.8 million injected in a single session;

• The year 2025: 31.77 billion dollars injected into US crypto ETFs, including 21.4 billion for Bitcoin ETFs, down from 35.2 billion in 2024.

These figures come against a market context that is nevertheless not very attractive for investors. The prices of Bitcoin and Ethereum have fallen over the last 30 days by 1.56% and 1.39% respectively.

This slowdown follows the peak reached in October 2025, with an all-time high of over $126,000 for BTC, immediately followed by a $19 billion liquidation event on October 10. Thus, these inflows demonstrate that ETFs continue to represent a preferred entry point for institutional capital.

Bullish signals in a tense market

While these massive inflows into ETFs might suggest a general return to optimism, market sentiment indicators tell a different story.

The Crypto Fear & Greed index, which measures the overall perception of investors, returned to the extreme fear zone on the Sunday preceding these flows, with a score of 25. Since the beginning of November, this indicator has oscillated between ” fear “ And “extreme fear”reflecting the caution, even mistrust, of individuals in the face of recent fluctuations. In other words, capital is flowing in, but market psychology remains deeply affected by the turbulence at the end of the year.

This divergence between general sentiment and the behavior of institutional investors is noted by several players in the sector. The marketing director of Tonso, known under the pseudonym “Wal”declared on X (formerly Twitter): “Bitcoin ETFs are back. Many institutional investors sold their BTC in the fourth quarter of 2025 for tax reasons. Now they are reloading. This is just the beginning”.

This strategy, called “tax loss harvesting”consists of selling at a loss at the end of the year to optimize your taxation, before reinvesting in the new fiscal year. If we are to believe this analysis, the massive inflows of January 2 could therefore only be a first movement, heralding a significant repositioning of funds on cryptos.

Flows towards ETFs mark a renewed interest, but the dynamic is gradually reversing: altcoins are taking the advantage while the market's attention leaves bitcoin. It remains to be seen whether this rebalancing is sustainable or whether it is only a temporary adjustment in a market still in search of direction.