Bitcoin recovered above $76,000 on Friday after falling below that level during Thursday's tech-driven market rout, but remained down more than 5.3% over 24 hours. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $430.2 million in net outflows Thursday, led by Fidelity's FBTC at $199.9 million and BlackRock's IBIT at $105 million, according to SoSoValue.
Why it matters
Thursday's ETF withdrawals reversed Wednesday's $74.6 million inflow and brought net redemptions for the week through Thursday to $869.8 million. The selling followed a 5.5% slide in the Nasdaq and a 4.3% drop in the S&P 500 on Thursday.
FalconX and GSR analysts linked the wider selloff to concerns that a Democratic midterm sweep could slow AI data-center construction, adding to doubts about returns on heavy infrastructure spending. XS.com's Simon-Peter Massabni said the stock rout was spilling into crypto as asset managers sold alternative holdings to meet margin calls and reduce leverage.
Market impact
CoinGlass data showed $1.26 billion in leveraged crypto positions liquidated over 24 hours, including $1.12 billion in long positions. The CoinDesk 20 index fell 6.28% over the same period.
The earlier Bitcoin rebound had shown signs of fragility: futures open interest remained broadly flat during Wednesday's recovery, while Bitcoin traded at a discount on Coinbase relative to Binance, a sign of subdued U.S. buying demand.
Frequently asked questions
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Which Bitcoin ETFs led Thursday's outflows?
Fidelity's FBTC recorded $199.9 million in net outflows, while BlackRock's IBIT recorded $105 million, according to SoSoValue.
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How much did Bitcoin ETFs lose for the week through Thursday?
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $869.8 million in net redemptions for the week through Thursday. Thursday's withdrawals reversed a $74.6 million inflow on Wednesday.
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How much of the crypto liquidations came from long positions?
Long positions accounted for $1.12 billion of the $1.26 billion in leveraged crypto positions liquidated over 24 hours, according to CoinGlass.
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How did the stock market perform during Thursday's selloff?
The Nasdaq fell 5.5% and the S&P 500 dropped 4.3% on Thursday. Analysts linked the broader selloff in part to concerns about AI data-center construction and infrastructure spending returns.
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What signs pointed to a fragile Bitcoin rebound?
Bitcoin futures open interest remained broadly flat during Wednesday's recovery, and Bitcoin traded at a discount on Coinbase relative to Binance, a sign of subdued U.S. buying demand.
CoinDesk