Key Takeaways
- U.S. bitcoin ETFs drew $174.60M, even as BTC slipped back below $80,000 on Friday.
- Blackrock’s IBIT led flows, showing resilient demand despite stronger U.S. jobs data.
- Markets will watch the Fed’s September rate outlook as crypto ETF flows stay mixed.
Bitcoin ETF Demand Holds Despite Price Retreat
Wall Street ended the week with two competing signals: resilient demand for bitcoin exposure and a stronger-than-expected U.S. labor market that could complicate the path for interest rates.
Bitcoin ETFs drew $174.60 million on Friday, with Blackrock’s IBIT taking in $117.38 million and Fidelity’s FBTC adding $57.22 million. Trading value across the group reached $2.95 billion, while net assets closed at $101.25 billion.
The flow was notable because the bitcoin price had already slipped back below $80,000 after breaking above the level a day earlier. ETF demand held up despite the pullback.
Blackrock’s IBIT has now attracted $3.575 billion over the past 30 days, reinforcing its position as the dominant institutional gateway to bitcoin.
Ether Stays Positive as Hype Returns to Inflows
Ether ETFs recorded $26.46 million in net inflows, though the session featured sharp moves between individual funds.
Blackrock’s ETHA brought in $57.79 million, while ETHB added another $16.44 million. Morgan Stanley’s MSSE contributed $528,020. Fidelity’s FETH saw $48.30 million leave the fund, cutting into the day’s gains. Total ether ETF trading value reached $813.59 million, while net assets finished at $15.57 billion.
HYPE ETFs also returned to positive territory after two flat sessions. Bitwise’s BHYP captured the full $10.52 million inflow, with trading value at $26.18 million and net assets at $480.86 million.
Solana ETFs moved in the opposite direction. The group lost $5.21 million, including $2.79 million from Bitwise’s BSOL and $2.41 million from Fidelity’s FSOL. XRP ETFs recorded no net flows, leaving traders to focus on broader crypto sentiment.
Strong Payrolls Put Rates Back in Focus
The latest U.S. jobs report added another layer to Friday’s market picture.
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, well above forecasts for 56,000. Unemployment held at 4.1%, while average hourly earnings increased 3.1% from a year earlier.
President Donald Trump said the figures had “far exceeded all expectations” and renewed his call for lower interest rates.
The stronger labor data pushed markets to reassess the Federal Reserve’s September outlook. For crypto investors, that leaves rate expectations firmly back in focus after a week of strong ETF demand.
