Can Bitcoin Rally Past $79K ETF Cost Basis?

Markets 2026-03-05 14:20

Can Bitcoin Rally Past K ETF Cost Basis?

Bitcoin (BTC) has reclaimed the $70,000 level after spot ETF products recorded more than $8.9 billion in cumulative outflows from their peak — a record drawdown that left the average ETF holder sitting roughly $11,000 below their estimated cost basis of $79,000.

What Happened: Record ETF Drawdown

On-chain analyst Darkfost flagged the scale of the selloff across spot Bitcoin ETFs in a recent CryptoQuant report. During the correction, these funds saw more than $8.9 billion exit as BTC traded below $70,000 for much of the downturn.

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), the largest product on the market, lost more than 42,000 BTC from a peak of over 806,000 BTC held by the fund. The withdrawals added direct selling pressure: when ETFs face redemptions, they typically must sell Bitcoin to meet them.

The drawdown has since narrowed from roughly $8.9 billion to about $7.8 billion, suggesting outflow momentum is slowing. Still, the average realized cost basis for ETF holders sits near $79,000 — well above the current price, meaning the typical position remains underwater.

CryptoQuant cautioned that the $79,000 figure should be treated as an approximation. ETF flows can mask internal reallocations between participants, and the metric cannot capture every transaction within the funds.

Also Read: Dogecoin Falls Under $0.0950 With Bears Leading

Why It Matters: Structural Fragility

The gap between Bitcoin's current price and the average ETF entry point is significant because it reflects the degree to which institutional and retail demand — funneled through regulated vehicles — remains offside. A sustained recovery likely depends on fresh ETF inflows to absorb existing supply and establish a firmer base.

On the technical side, BTC has pushed above its 50-period moving average on the 4-hour chart and is now testing the 100-period moving average near mid-$70K levels. The $69,000–$70,000 zone, which served as a rejection area through late February, appears to be flipping into support.

However, Bitcoin remains below its 200-period moving average. Holding above $69,000 is critical; a failure there could drag the price back to the $66,000–$67,000 consolidation range, while a sustained push above $70,000 opens the door to the $73,000–$75,000 region.

Read Next: Can Bitcoin Break $70K While Gold Stumbles?

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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

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