Institutional crypto flows turned sharply negative on January 7, 2026, with exchange-traded products tied to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP recording broad-based outflows, while Solana-linked funds remained marginally positive.
The data points to a clear risk-off shift among ETF investors following a brief burst of inflows earlier in the year.
Key takeaways
Bitcoin ETFs saw heavy redemptions totaling roughly $486 million.
Ethereum ETFs followed with about $98 million in net outflows, led by Grayscale products.
Solana ETFs were the exception, posting modest net inflows.
XRP ETF flows were mixed, but still ended the day net negative.
Bitcoin ETFs absorb the bulk of selling
Bitcoin products bore the brunt of the reversal. Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net outflow of approximately $486 million, one of the largest single-day withdrawals seen so far in 2026. Selling pressure was widespread across issuers, with funds from BlackRock, Fidelity, Bitwise, and ARK all registering sizable redemptions.
The breadth of the outflows suggests portfolio-level repositioning rather than fee arbitrage or issuer rotation. Even products with lower expense ratios experienced withdrawals, indicating that investors were trimming overall Bitcoin exposure amid broader market uncertainty.
Ethereum and XRP follow, Solana diverges
Ethereum ETFs moved in the same direction, though on a smaller scale. Net ETH ETF flows were negative by roughly $98 million, with most of the pressure concentrated in Grayscale’s offerings. Other issuers saw relatively muted activity, highlighting ongoing fee sensitivity and structural differences across ETH ETF products.
XRP-linked funds also finished the session in the red. While Canary and Bitwise products recorded inflows, they were outweighed by large withdrawals from 21Shares’ XRP ETF, resulting in a net outflow of around $17.7 million. The split flows reflect diverging institutional views on XRP exposure rather than a uniform exit.
Solana stood out as the lone relative outperformer. Solana ETFs posted a net inflow of about $2 million, driven primarily by Bitwise’s BSOL product. Although small in absolute terms, the inflow contrasts sharply with the heavy selling in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs and points to continued interest in higher-beta assets with staking-linked appeal.
Overall, the January 7 flow data underscores a shift toward caution rather than capitulation. Capital is rotating away from broad, high-exposure products and toward more selective positions, signaling that while institutional demand remains intact, risk appetite has clearly cooled in the short term.
