Key Points
-
Led by the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, spot Bitcoin ETFs hauled in $1.92 billion in fresh capital last week.
-
That was the group’s best weekly haul in 10 months.
-
It’s one reason to consider being bullish on the largest digital currency.
As of midday Wednesday, Aug. 26, Bitcoin(CRYPTO: BTC) traded around $78,500. It needs to gain approximately 60.5% to reach its all-time high. That’s a long way off, but all rebounds have to start somewhere, and for the largest cryptocurrency, last week may mark the start of its resurgence.
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are providing bullish clues about the cryptocurrency’s trajectory. With a big helping hand from the iShares Bitcoin ETF Trust(NASDAQ: IBIT), the largest fund in the spot Bitcoin ETF category, those ETFs hauled in $1.92 billion in new capital last week. That marks the group’s best week of inflows since October 2025.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again.In 2009, a “Double Down” signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same “Total Conviction” signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
In broad terms, ETF inflows aren’t always clear “buy” signals. Some professional investors buy ETFs to hedge short positions in stocks, while others move in and out of highly liquid ETFs within days. However, inflows into the IBIT ETF and its peers are a positive signal, indicating that institutional investors are renewing their enthusiasm for Bitcoin.
More positive clues
To reiterate, flows (in or out) aren’t the end-all and be-all of ETF decision-making, but something interesting is happening with Bitcoin ETFs. More investors are showing a preference for the ETF wrapper for Bitcoin exposure.
BlackRock, the issuer of the iShares Bitcoin ETF, has processed $5 billion in Bitcoin “swaps,” in which market participants move their Bitcoin into the ETF. That allows them to remain committed HODLers without worrying about cold storage and the potential vulnerabilities of digital wallets.
The pace of these swaps is gaining enough momentum that authorized participants, the folks who keep the ETF universe humming through the creation/redemption process, have dramatically lowered the dollar amount required to execute Bitcoin-to-Bitcoin ETF transactions. What was once a $100 million affair has now sunk to $50 million, and now just $3 million is required to execute these exchanges.
Moving Bitcoin off an exchange or out of a digital wallet into ETFs creates inflows. That asset accumulation is pertinent for several reasons. The investors behind those transactions are reiterating their commitment to Bitcoin. They’re showing affinity for the ETF wrapper. Finally, there’s evidence indicating that Bitcoin ETF investors are part of the “diamond hands” crowd, meaning they plan to hold their stakes in those funds for extended periods.
Bitcoin stars may be aligning
Beyond ETF inflows, there are other reasons to believe Bitcoin may be getting its groove back. The cryptocurrency is again showing correlation with gold, and that’s a good thing because bullion is on a scintillating run of its own of late.
The prevailing wisdom holds that “digital gold” and “real gold” are moving higher in tandem amid concerns about Uncle Sam’s $40 trillion debt tab, which is stoking the debasement trade. What’s being debased is the U.S. dollar, and that erosion is viewed as positive for alternative money. Bitcoin and physical gold fit that bill.
Speaking of the debasement, it’s one reason Bernstein says Bitcoin is heading to $300,000 in three years. If that forecast is even close to accurate, investors buying Bitcoin ETFs today while displaying diamond hands behavior will be handsomely rewarded.
Should you buy stock in iShares Bitcoin Trust right now?
Before you buy stock in iShares Bitcoin Trust, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and iShares Bitcoin Trust wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $430,571!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,399,268!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 986% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of August 28, 2026.
Todd Shriber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, BlackRock, and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.