BTC price steadies above $92K, but caution remains as Bitcoin ETFs break inflow streak

The Bitcoin price has stabilized above $92,000 after a period of notable fluctuations, with eyes now on the interplay between institutional flows and market sentiment.

At press time, Bitcoin was trading at around $92,829, rebounding from recent lows near $83,800, while Bitcoin ETFs have shown a mixed performance, breaking a streak of consecutive inflows that had supported the asset’s rise.

Bitcoin ETFs under pressure

The current crypto market structure reflects a shift toward institutional dominance, with US-listed Bitcoin ETFs emerging as major drivers of both liquidity and marginal demand.

BlackRock’s IBIT fund has continually led in inflows, with cumulative capital over the past 10 days surpassing $62 billion, while other ETFs, such as Fidelity’s FBTC and Bitwise’s BITB, have also attracted steady allocations.

However, recent modest outflows highlight the potential fragility of the ETF-supported rally.

On December 3, for example, most US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded withdrawals, breaking a five-day streak of positive inflows.

BlackRock’s IBIT was a rare exception, seeing roughly $42.20 million flow into the fund, while ARKB experienced outflows that peaked at $37.10 million after another $90.90 million outflow on December 2.

This divergence underscores the fact that while ETFs remain a critical institutional vehicle for Bitcoin exposure, capital is increasingly selective, with investors reallocating between funds based on strategy, fees, and regulatory clarity.

Notably, institutional adoption of Bitcoin ETFs has fundamentally altered the way BTC is traded.

US spot ETFs now account for over 5% of cumulative net inflows into Bitcoin since their launch, according to Glassnode, holding nearly 1.36 million BTC, or around 7% of the circulating supply.

The introduction of these regulated instruments has shifted liquidity off-chain, as trading through brokerage-eligible ETFs and futures contracts increasingly dictates market movement.

This structural migration is also reflected in declining on-chain activity, with active daily Bitcoin entities dropping from roughly 240,000 to around 170,000, according to Glassnode, indicating that much of the market’s trading volume now occurs through ETFs rather than traditional exchanges.

Bitcoin price outlook amid the mixed ETF signals

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin has rebounded from the $86,000 range, approaching resistance between $94,000 and $95,400.

Key indicators such as the MACD and RSI point to easing bearish momentum, though BTC remains below its 50, 100, and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMAs), which could act as resistance in the near term.

Furthermore, BTC futures open interest on major exchanges has risen to $130 billion, and large-block transactions exceeding $5 million continue to reflect strong institutional activity, particularly from sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and macro hedge funds.

This combination of ETF flows, derivative positioning, and macro conditions has created a market environment where institutional vehicles anchor liquidity and influence price discovery.

While retail demand remains muted, the ETF infrastructure provides a regulated avenue for accumulation and risk management, mitigating some volatility that would otherwise be evident on spot exchanges.

However, traders should remain cautious, as the prior record outflows totalling $3.79 billion in November demonstrate how quickly sentiment can shift in response to profit-taking, macro uncertainty, or the emergence of competing investment opportunities in altcoins.

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