BlackRock Offloads Over $650 Million in Crypto ETFs in Just One Week – What’s Behind the Sell-Off?

BlackRock’s cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded more than $650 million in combined outflows over the past five trading days, coinciding with weakening sentiment across the market.

Specifically, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin (BTC) Trust (IBIT) accounted for most of the withdrawals, posting total outflows of about $461.2 million between May 11 and May 15. The steepest single-day decline came on May 13, when the fund lost $284.7 million, followed by another $136.2 million in outflows on May 15. Although IBIT briefly rebounded with $144.1 million in inflows on May 14, the overall weekly trend remained negative.

Total Bitcoin spot ETF inflows. Source: Coinglass

Ethereum (ETH)-focused products also faced heavy selling pressure during the same period. BlackRock’s ETHA fund recorded cumulative outflows of $186.7 million, while ETHB saw an additional $6 million withdrawn, bringing combined Ethereum ETF outflows to roughly $192.7 million for the week. The largest Ethereum ETF decline occurred on May 12, when ETHA alone posted $102 million in outflows, followed by another $50.4 million withdrawn on May 15.

While some Ethereum ETFs, including Fidelity’s FETH and VanEck’s ETHV, posted modest inflows, they failed to offset the broader sector weakness. BlackRock’s combined Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF outflows totaled about $653.9 million over the five days.

Total Ethereum spot ETF inflows. Source: Coinglass

Wider Market Crypto ETF Outflows

The wider cryptocurrency ETF market also experienced heavy redemptions, with spot Bitcoin ETFs recording more than $630 million in outflows on May 13 alone, while Ethereum ETFs posted mostly negative daily flows throughout the week.

Despite the pullback, cumulative net inflows since launch remain above $58 billion following strong inflow streaks earlier in May. The withdrawals came amid rising Treasury yields, persistent inflation concerns, and geopolitical tensions that pressured risk assets.

Additionally, the outflows came even as U.S. regulators advanced the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act through the Senate Banking Committee in a bipartisan vote on May 14. The bill seeks to clarify crypto oversight by granting the CFTC authority over digital commodities such as Bitcoin while introducing additional consumer protections. Analysts view the legislation as a potential boost for long-term institutional adoption, although recent ETF flows suggest investors remain cautious amid profit-taking and macroeconomic uncertainty.

This came as Bitcoin dropped below $80,000, while Ethereum hovered around $2,100 as markets reacted to U.S. economic data and broader risk sentiment.