How Bitcoin and Ethereum absorbed $500 mln last week – Without a rally
ETF demand is rising, but the market is being weirdly calm.
Bitcoin and Ethereum just had a strong week on paper, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at prices.
Between the 8th and 12th of December, Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs combined pulled in a little more than $500 million in net inflows! And yet, both assets barely budged.
It’s strange. Steady money is coming in, yet prices are going nowhere.
ETF money kept coming, prices didn’t
Between the 8th and 12th of December, Bitcoin ETFs recorded $287 million in net inflows, led largely by BlackRock’s IBIT, which saw consistent daily additions despite a few mixed sessions.
Ethereum ETFs followed a similar pattern, posting $209 million in weekly inflows, with BlackRock’s ETHA and Fidelity’s FETH leading the demand.
However, Bitcoin [BTC] traded near $89.6K, down 2.16% on the week, with a market cap of roughly $1.78 trillion.
Ethereum [ETH] traded around $3,127, slipping just 0.23% over the week, with a market value close to $377 billion.
The market is absorbing capital with steady ETF buying, calmer price moves, and no rush from traders on either side.
Why did prices stay flat?
Market forces kept Bitcoin and Ethereum prices largely range-bound. Traders were still digesting a Federal Reserve rate cut that failed to spark a rally, as the move had already been fully priced in.
Bitcoin also struggled to break resistance around the $92K-$94K range, keeping prices capped. Risk sentiment remained cautious into early December.
As a result, Bitcoin traded at nearly $90,000 throughout the week and Ethereum traded between $3.1K to 3.2K. ETF demand is increasingly centered around longer-term allocation than impulse.
2025 in ETFs
Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have continued to grow steadily despite long stretches of flat or declining prices.
Bitcoin spot ETFs now hold about $118.3 billion in total net assets, while Ethereum ETFs sit near $19.4 billion, so there’s strong capital commitment.
Even in weeks like the latest one, price barely reacted. That disconnect means that price is no longer the immediate feedback loop for demand.
If inflows remain steady with subdued volatility, the next move may surprise you. Ownership will have shifted hands while the market looked elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
- $500M+ in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF inflows met flat prices this last week.
- When ownership shifts without chaos, the next Bitcoin and Ethereum move often comes fast and unexpected.
