Spot Bitcoin ETFs Hit the Ground Running with $4.6 Billion First-Day Trading Volume

The first day of trading the shiny new Spot Bitcoin ETFs is done and dusted – and it was a record breaker. Early reports by Bloomberg analysts show that around USD $4.6 billion (AUD $6.86 billion) poured into the 11 ETFs.

However, when drilling down into these numbers, Bloomberg’s James Seyffart says that much of this volume is caused by investors selling out of GBTC and into other ETFs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs directly invest in physical Bitcoin, offering a structure closer to the actual Bitcoin market. This is seen as more appealing to investors seeking direct exposure to Bitcoin’s price movements. In contrast, GBTC is a trust that holds Bitcoin, and its shares are traded on the stock market. This difference in structure is probably what caused the spike in volume.

Seyffart believes we will see more meaningful data over the coming days, nevertheless these early volumes are still remarkable. For comparison Seyffart’s colleague Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg, posted a list of the 25 most successful ETF launches of all time. BlackRock evidently dominates the top ten, with sources saying that they have around USD 2$ billion (AUD $2.98 billion) lined up to flow into the BlackRock Spot Bitcoin ETF in the first week.  

So, What’s in Store for Bitcoin Post ETFs?

Trader Michaël van de Poppe said on X that the Bitcoin rally we have seen thus far was due to ‘buy the rumour, sell the news.’ He believes that Bitcoin now stabilises and money will flow into Ethereum (which we are already seeing). Then he predicts a correction in March, just ahead of the Bitcoin halving.

Popular X commentator British HODL holds slightly different views, telling his followers that the lack of movement in Bitcoin’s price could be attributed to the wiping out of leverage, the saturation of pre-ETF investor interest, and the anticipation of ETFs accepting capital to acquire Bitcoin in the future.

According to British HODL, this suggests that current pricing doesn’t necessarily reflect ‘priced in’ status, which will be clearer at the halving. The potential influx of USD $4bn (AUD $5.96bn) on the first trading day could, according to the Bank of America Bull Market Multiple, lead to a Bitcoin price between USD $50k-$57k (AUD $75k-$85k) by the end of the week, indicating that significant buying pressure is yet to commence.