Vanguard, BlackRock lead the ETF wave as market remains in ‘extreme fear’
Prices are climbing, fear is rising, and ETFs are doing something no one is talking about.
The crypto market is sending mixed signals right now. On the price charts, things look better. At press time, the total market value had risen by 3.36% and was back to around $2.26 trillion. However, among investors, confidence is still very low.
Despite the prices going up, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index is still stuck in “Extreme Fear.” This shows that many people are still worried after the recent ups and downs. Instead of feeling excited, they are afraid the recovery won’t last.
And yet, according to LunarCrush, financial firms have dominated social media conversations over the past 24 hours.
This surge in attention around major financial firms can be closely tied to the growing influence of ETFs in both traditional markets and crypto.
Vanguard and BlackRock steal the spotlight
At the top of the list was Vanguard with 11.73k mentions. Social media chatter around Vanguard spiked by 146%, pushing daily mentions to an all-time high of 13.4k.
The post noted,
“Engagements are up 481% from the daily average.”
This was mainly because of massive inflows into its S&P 500 ETF, VOO. With over $30 billion added this year alone, Vanguard has become a key entry point for investors seeking stability.
Close behind was BlackRock with 9.27k mentions, whose Bitcoin [BTC] ETF has become the main gateway for institutional money into crypto.
Additionally, other sentiments around BlackRock are also adding to the hype.
“BLK is the firm people either trust with their retirement or point to when explaining why corporations behave badly. Both crowds were loud today.”
JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs trail behind
JPMorgan Chase has also gained attention with 8.2k mentions, as investors look for stability beyond crypto ETFs. Over 282+ spikes suggest fresh news, likely comments from CEO Jamie Dimon or new macro positioning, sparking renewed attention.
On the contrary, Goldman Sachs saw a noticeable drop in mentions, making it the only top-five firm losing social traction. This usually happens when market sentiment turns cautious.
Meanwhile, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) stood out as the only venture capital firm among trillion-dollar institutions. Its steady discussion was likely tied to its AI and crypto investments, along with visibility from co-founder Marc Andreessen.
Other major firms like Apollo Global Management, Fidelity Investments, Galaxy Digital, Blackstone, Temasek Holdings, KKR, Pantera Capital, and Bridgewater Associates were also part of the broader conversation.
Notably, Jane Street and Third Point saw unusually large spikes in attention, likely driven by specific trading or regulatory developments. Finally, Pantera’s rise reflected sustained momentum in crypto-focused discussions.
Social sentiment may be driving investor sentiment
The aforementioned data should be read within context though. Just recently, Google Trends revealed that global searches for “crypto” were at their lowest level in over a year. In August 2025, interest was at its peak. However, at press time, it had dropped to just 25.
That’s not all either as the “Bitcoin going to zero” phrase reached its highest level ever in February too.
Simply put, while most people are rushing for the exits, the world’s biggest money managers are quietly settling in and preparing for the next phase.
Final Summary
- “Extreme Fear” reflects emotional exhaustion among retail investors, not necessarily market collapse.
- Social media data suggested that attention may be shifting away from tokens and towards the institutions controlling access.
