Bitcoin and Ether ETFs See $520 M Outflows as Fed Raises Rates

On September 16, 2026, U.S. Bitcoin and Ether exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) experienced a combined net outflow of $520.09 million after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points, marking the first increase since July 2023.

Bitcoin ETF Outflows

Bitcoin ETFs lost $295.98 million in net assets. BlackRock’s IBIT led the withdrawals with $144.11 million, followed by Ark & 21Shares’ ARKB ($84.40 million) and Fidelity’s FBTC ($52.72 million). Grayscale’s GBTC shed $18.22 million, while Morgan Stanley’s MSBT recorded a modest inflow of $3.47 million. Trading value for Bitcoin ETFs reached $2.81 billion and total net assets fell to $95.19 billion.

Ether ETF Outflows

Ether ETFs posted $224.11 million in net outflows. BlackRock’s ETHA accounted for $110.03 million of the decline, Fidelity’s FETH lost $55.58 million, and BlackRock’s staking‑focused ETHB shed $19.76 million. Vaneck’s ETHV, Grayscale’s ETHE, and 21Shares’ TETH also recorded exits. No Ether fund reported an inflow. Trading value was $1.20 billion and net assets dropped to $15.16 billion.

Smaller Crypto ETFs Show Resilience

In contrast, niche crypto ETFs attracted inflows:

• XRP ETFs received $3.50 million, all through Franklin’s XRPZ, bringing net assets to $1.40 billion.
• HYPE ETFs added $1.67 million via Grayscale’s HYPG, ending with $417.20 million in assets.
• Solana ETFs edged higher by $836,930; Bitwise’s BSOL gained $2.69 million while Grayscale’s GSOL saw a $1.85 million withdrawal, leaving net assets at $1.38 billion.

Fed Rate Decision and Market Outlook

The Fed’s unanimous 25‑basis‑point hike to a range of 3.75 %–4 % signaled continued concern over inflation. Sixteen of 18 policymakers projected at least one more quarter‑point increase before year‑end, with a median expectation of a 4.1 % federal funds rate by the end of 2026. The tighter monetary stance appears to be pressuring risk‑on assets, as reflected in the swift outflows from Bitcoin and Ether ETFs.