Bitcoin Faces $278M ETF Outflows as Price Holds Near $102K Amid Weak Momentum

Bitcoin is stuck, carrying on trading languidly around $102,000 despite the US government reopening following a 43 day ordeal known...

Quick overview

  • Bitcoin is trading around $102,000, showing little movement despite the US government reopening after a shutdown.
  • Spot ETF outflows have reached $278.1 million, indicating a lack of investor confidence and raising concerns about future market performance.
  • Analysts warn that macroeconomic factors, including a slumping labor market, are likely to keep Bitcoin and the broader crypto market stagnant.
  • Technical indicators suggest a bearish outlook for Bitcoin, with liquidity issues and trading volumes halving over the past year.

Bitcoin is stuck, carrying on trading languidly around $102,000 despite the US government reopening following a 43 day ordeal known as a government shutdown. Treasury folks are still buying in, and you’d think that spot ETF inflows would have been enough to give the market a bit of a boost, but no—analysts reckon that without some decent macro catalyst, Bitcoin and the broader crypto market are stuck in a rut & seem to be heading nowhere fast.

  • Spot ETF activity has been pretty underwhelming, which says a lot about how investors are feeling.
  • Historically, price cycles have shown that these kind of peaks might be the high point of the cycle.
  • And to top it off, you’ve got macro factors like a slumping labour market and trade wars weighing on the market.

Spot ETF Outflows Say We’re in For A Rough Ride

So US spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a whopping $278.1 million get pulled out – this is the sort of thing that puts a warning sign up on investors ‘toe.

Some of the key movements were:

  • BlackRock IBIT – $36.9 million got pulled out
  • Fidelity FBTC – a whopping $132.9 million got pulled out
  • Ark 21Shares ARKB – $85.2 million got pulled out
  • Grayscale GBTC – $23.1 million got pulled out

All of this happened after a dodgy labour market report suggested that private employers in the US were cutting staff at a rate of 11,250 per week in October—not a good sign. And some of the market players who thought Bitcoin was going to top out in September & October – that’s when the market usually goes through a downturn after the ‘halving’ are now going back over their plans.

Market Insiders Are Warning of a Period of Turmoil Ahead

Industry Experts are warning that Bitcoin could see further losses. Market sentiment is a bit bleak right now, and when you look at trading volumes & how investors are feeling, it doesn’t look like things are going to turn around anytime soon.

  • 10x Research reckon that the big players are starting to change their game plan now.
  • Matrixport shares that trading volumes have halved over the last 12 months—from $352B to $178B —that’s a pretty big drop.
  • QCP Capital reckon that Bitcoin is simply going to chop around in trading through the final quarter of the year – the Federal Reserve and good earnings might give it a bit of a leg up, but for now its anyone’s guess

The technical charts are looking pretty bearish too – falling wedges and bear flags all point towards an imminent price correction. Although there’ll be the odd bit of buying interest from the big players, the truth is liquidity is a bit thin, so don’t expect any sort of sharp upward thrust.

Analysts are saying that Bitcoin’s immediate future will be shaped more by the bigger picture economic indicators, rather than how much buying is actually going up.

Investors are best off keeping a close eye on ETF flows, labour market reports & any news from the Federal Reserve – these are the factors having the greatest impact on Bitcoin prices this year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Arslan Butt
Lead Markets Analyst – Multi-Asset (FX, Commodities, Crypto)
Arslan Butt serves as the Lead Commodities and Indices Analyst, bringing a wealth of expertise to the field. With an MBA in Behavioral Finance and active progress towards a Ph.D., Arslan possesses a deep understanding of market dynamics. His professional journey includes a significant role as a senior analyst at a leading brokerage firm, complementing his extensive experience as a market analyst and day trader. Adept in educating others, Arslan has a commendable track record as an instructor and public speaker. His incisive analyses, particularly within the realms of cryptocurrency and forex markets, are showcased across esteemed financial publications such as ForexCrunch, InsideBitcoins, and EconomyWatch, solidifying his reputation in the financial community.

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