US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $390 million for the week ending August 14, 2026, marking their largest weekly withdrawal in six weeks and erasing an early August inflow surge of over $750 million. Fidelity's FBTC led the redemptions with $153 million in outflows, while US spot Ethereum ETFs also saw net outflows of $2.26 million. Meanwhile, legislative optimism faded as Galaxy Research cut the 2026 passage odds of the Clarity Act to 10%.
US spot Bitcoin ETF outflows
- ▪United States spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded net outflows of approximately $390 million for the week ending August 14, 2026, marking the largest weekly withdrawal in six weeks.
- ▪The $390 million weekly outflow from United States spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds included four days of net redemptions, erasing an early August inflow surge of over $750 million.
Individual ETF performance
- ▪BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and Grayscale's suite of products, including GBTC and the Bitcoin Mini Trust, also experienced net negative flows during the week ending August 14, 2026.
- ▪Fidelity's Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) recorded the largest net outflow among the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds during the week ending August 14, 2026, with $153 million leaving the fund.
- ▪United States spot Ethereum exchange-traded funds recorded net outflows of $2.26 million during the week ending August 14, 2026, led by BlackRock's ETHA with net outflows of $16.3944 million.
Clarity Act legislative outlook
- ▪A Senate cloture vote on the Clarity Act is scheduled for September 15, 2026, when the Senate returns from recess, though market observers expect another delay.
- ▪Galaxy Research's head of research, Alex Thorn, reduced his estimated probability of the Clarity Act becoming law in 2026 to roughly 10% on August 14, 2026, down from 75% in May 2026.
Bitcoin derivatives positioning
- ▪Bitcoin's open interest in contract terms pulled back to 750,000 BTC on August 17, 2026, from 760,000 BTC on August 14, 2026, continuing a pattern of short-lived spikes observed since April 2026.
- ▪Bitcoin's notional open interest stood at $48 billion on August 17, 2026, nearly double its 24-hour trading volume, raising the risk of wild price swings in a mass liquidation event.
Market sentiment indicators
- ▪CoinMarketCap's Fear and Greed index registered a 'fear' reading of 38/100 on August 17, 2026, while the Altcoin Season Index recovered to 46/100 from its August 7, 2026 low of 36/100.
- ▪Bitcoin and ether 30-day implied volatility indexes remained near year-to-date lows on August 17, 2026, indicating muted demand for options-based insurance against price swings.
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