U.S. spot crypto ETFs opened 2026 with mixed performance, as Bitcoin and Ether funds recorded sizable outflows while XRP and Solana ETFs attracted fresh capital and rising trading activity.
Early fund flow data suggests institutional investors are becoming more selective in their crypto exposure at the start of the year.
According to data from SoSoValue, investor behaviour diverged sharply during the first full trading week of 2026, signaling a shift away from broad market exposure toward more targeted allocations.
Bitcoin ETFs Lose Momentum After Early Inflows
Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $681 million in net outflows between Jan. 6 and Jan. 9, reversing gains from the start of the week. The funds initially attracted $697.3 million in inflows on Jan. 5, but selling pressure followed for four consecutive sessions.
The largest pullback occurred on Jan. 7, when BTC ETFs posted $486.1 million in outflows, marking the steepest single-day decline of the period. Also, it recorded a daily total net outflow of $249.99 million on Jan. 9.
Among individual products, BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for a significant share of redemptions, losing $251.97 million on Jan. 9. Bitwise’s BITB also recorded modest outflows of $5.89 million, while Fidelity’s FBTC stood out with $7.87 million in inflows, defying the broader trend.
Despite the weekly setback, spot BTC ETFs continue to hold a dominant market position. Combined net assets across the 12 U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs stand at $116.86 billion, representing 6.48% of Bitcoin’s total market capitalization, with cumulative inflows of $56.4 billion since their January 2024 launch.
Ether ETFs Give Back Weekly Gains
U.S. spot Ether ETFs followed a similar trajectory, closing the week with $68.6 million in net outflows after a strong opening. The funds attracted $168.1 million on Jan. 5 and $114.7 million on Jan. 6, but those gains were erased by $351.4 million in redemptions over the final three trading sessions.
Outflows were led by BlackRock’s ETHA, which saw $83.78 million exit on Jan. 9, while Grayscale’s ETHE recorded withdrawals of $10 million.
Collectively, the nine U.S. spot ETH ETFs now manage $18.7 billion in net assets, accounting for 5.04% of Ether’s market capitalization.
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Solana and XRP ETFs Defy Broader Market Weakness
In contrast to BTC and ETH products, spot XRP ETFs continued to attract capital, extending their momentum into early 2026.
The five XRP ETFs recorded $38.1 million in net inflows during the week ending Jan. 9. Trading activity also surged, with weekly volume reaching $219 million, the highest level since the funds launched.
This marked a sharp increase from $117.4 million the previous week and surpassed the $213.9 million recorded in the week ending Dec. 19, 2025.
Notably, Canary Capital’s XRPC remains the largest XRP ETF, managing $375.06 million in assets. It is followed by Bitwise’s XRP fund ($300.33 million), Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ ($279.62 million), Grayscale’s GXRP ($271.2 million), and 21Shares’ TOXR ($246.93 million).
Since launching in mid-November 2025, XRP ETFs have attracted $1.22 billion in net inflows, with total assets reaching $1.47 billion, equivalent to 1.16% of XRP’s market capitalization.
Solana ETFs also recorded net inflows during the week, adding $41.1 million in new capital. Bitwise’s BSOL continues to dominate the category, with $648.09 million in cumulative net inflows, significantly ahead of Fidelity’s FSOL, which manages $131.44 million.
It is followed by Grayscale’s GSOL and VanEck’s VSOL, with cumulative net inflows of $115.20 million and $20.36 million, respectively.
As of Jan. 12, SOL ETFs have attracted $1.09 billion in total net assets since launching while recording a cumulative net inflow of $816.92 million.
Institutions Appear More Selective in Early 2026
The divergence in ETF flows suggests that institutional investors are adopting a more selective approach to crypto exposure at the start of 2026.
While allocations to BTC and ETH ETFs declined following strong year-end positioning, capital rotated into XRP and Solana products, which some investors view as offering differentiated growth potential.
As ETF flow data continues to influence market sentiment, analysts say these early trends may provide insight into how institutional strategies evolve throughout the year.
