Spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) drew $260.27 million in net inflows on Friday, May 16, significantly outpacing spot ethereum ETFs, which recorded a total inflow of $22.12 million.
Bitcoin ETFs Dominate Friday Flows While Ethereum Sees Tepid Uptake
Leading Friday’s activity in the bitcoin ETF space was Blackrock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which took in a substantial $129.73 million, according tososovalue.com stats. Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed with $67.95 million in inflows. Other notable contributors included Ark Invest’s ARKB with $57.98 million and Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini ETF, which added $4.61 million.
Despite the net gains, several major funds such as GBTC, BITB, and HODL posted no daily inflows. Blackrock’s IBIT continues to lead the spot bitcoin ETF market by assets held. As of May 15, 2025, the fund commands a staggering 631,962.23 BTC reserves, reinforcing its dominant position in the competitive landscape.
IBIT holdings as of May 15, 2025.
Meanwhile, sosovalue.com metrics show Fidelity’s Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH) led the inflow activity among spot ethereum ETFs, drawing $13.57 million on Friday. Grayscale’s Ethereum Mini Fund product added $8.55 million. Other ethereum ETFs, including those from Vaneck, Franklin Templeton, and Bitwise, reported no net inflows for the day, indicating a relatively muted investor interest compared to their bitcoin counterparts.
All spot bitcoin and ethereum ETFs traded at slight premiums to their net asset values on Friday, with IBIT, FBTC, and FETH each showing premiums between +0.29% and +0.39%. The only exception was Hashdex’s DEFI ETF, which traded at a -0.40% discount.
Friday’s flow data highlights continued institutional demand for bitcoin exposure via ETFs, while interest in ethereum products still remains comparatively subdued. The gap suggests bitcoin remains the preferred crypto asset among ETF investors despite increasing competition in the broader digital asset ETF space.