Bitcoin ETFs Rebound with $88M Surge: Solana Rises as Institutional “Selective Rotation” Rocks Crypto Markets
Institutional investors are pouring money into the digital asset space - but they're getting fussy about what they buy.
Quick overview
- Institutional investors are increasingly selective, favoring high-functioning ecosystems like Solana over older assets like XRP.
- On February 20, 2026, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a significant $88.04 million net influx, ending a streak of outflows.
- BlackRock's IBIT led the way with $64.46 million in new investments, while Solana ETFs also gained traction with notable inflows.
- Ethereum and XRP struggled, with minimal inflows and no trading activity, respectively, indicating a shift in investor focus.
Institutional investors are pouring money into the digital asset space – but they’re getting fussy about what they buy. On Friday February 20, 2026, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs put an end to a multi-day losing streak, with a very healthy $88.04 million net influx.
The big players like BlackRock and Fidelity are where you find the action, but a broader ‘rotation’ is taking place. Institutions are starting to get more interested in high-functioning ecosystems like Solana, while old guard like XRP are being left in the dust.
The ETFs Make a Come Back – BlackRock’s IBIT Leads the Way
After five long weeks of outflows totalling nearly $3.8 billion, the ‘capitulation’ phase may be drawing to a close, according to figures from SoSoValue. This time last week the market was looking for a safe haven as investors attempted to lock in positions ahead of the 24th Feb ‘Tariff Deadline’.
Friday’s Top Performers:
- BlackRock (IBIT): The real champion of the day, sucking in a massive $64.46 million new investment.
- Fidelity (FBTC): Came in second with a respectable $23.59 million.
- Total ETF Volume: The total investement across all Bitcoin ETFs reached a whopping $3.7 billion, and pushed total net assets to a very healthy $85.31 billion.
Solana: The New Darling of Institutional Investors
While all the attention was focused on Bitcoin, Solana ETFs were quietly building momentum. Unlike the lacklustre performance of Ethereum ETFs, Solana based funds were growing steadily and consistently.
Solana ETF Highlights:
- Bitwise (BSOL): Came out on top with $3.05 million in net inflows.
- Franklin Templeton (SOEZ): Added $728,870, showing even conservative players on Wall Street are getting on board with the “Firedancer” era of Solana’s scalability.
- Market Share: Total assets under management (AUM) for Solana ETFs have now hit $737.44 million.
XRP and Ether are Stuck in Neutral
Friday’s figures were stark contrast to the rest of the ‘Big Four’.
- Ethereum (ETH): Recorded a tiny $17,210 net inflow. BlackRock’s ETHA saw some minor gains, but Fidelity’s FETH had a $2.45 million outflow – most likely just waiting to see what happens next.
- XRP: XRP ETFs were ghost town. Zero trading activity, and still stuck at $1.02 billion in assets. Despite Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse’s optimism regarding the CLARITY Act, ETF investors are just not willing to bet on it until the bill gets Senate approval.
What the Pros Think: The ‘Smart Money’ Shift
As someone who has been in the game for over a decade, Friday’s flows tell a story of ‘Structural Reallocation’. We’re moving away from the ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ era and getting into a whole new ‘Utility and Liquidity’ game.
This Week’s Strategy:
- Bitcoin’s Price Point: Keep an eye on the $69,000 level – if it breaks, $800M+ in liquidations could follow.
- Solana’s Floor: SOL has established a solid support base between $135 and $140 and institutional inflows are telling us this is the ‘buy zone’.
- The ‘Tariff Shock’: Keep an eye on Feb 24 – any volatility from the new import taxes could send prices tumbling, and provide a ‘secondary entry’ for those who missed Friday’s rebound.
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