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Bitcoin Spot ETFs Post $290 Million Net Outflow as IBIT Leads Withdrawals

According to SoSoValue, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $290 million in net outflows on May 15, while spot Ethereum ETFs extended their losing streak with further withdrawals after weaker May 14 flows.

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Fact Check
The core claim — $290M net outflow from US Bitcoin spot ETFs on May 15, 2026, with IBIT leading withdrawals — is directly confirmed by SoSoValue's own dashboard (-$290.42M total, IBIT -$136.25M) and independently corroborated by PANews citing the same SoSoValue data. The macro drivers (inflation concerns, softer risk appetite) are consistent with CoinDesk and crypto.news reporting on the surrounding period. The one area of imprecision is the 'largest one-day outflows in four months' framing: CoinDesk and crypto.news attribute that superlative specifically to May 13's larger $635M event, not May 15's $290M. The $290M figure on May 15 is significant but smaller than May 13's outflow, making the 'largest in four months' characterization likely inaccurate for May 15 specifically. All other elements of the claim are well-supported.
Summary

U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of $290 million on May 15, their largest single-day withdrawal in four months and the biggest since late January, according to SoSoValue, with BlackRock’s IBIT leading redemptions at $136 million. The pullback followed a May 14 session in which spot Bitcoin ETFs had posted $131 million in net inflows, led by IBIT’s $144 million inflow. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs also remained under pressure: they saw about $5.65 million in net outflows on May 14, and later recorded $65.65 million in net outflows, marking a fifth straight day of withdrawals. Bitcoin weakened after testing its 200-day moving average amid inflation concerns and softer risk appetite, while Ethereum fund demand stayed weak. Total spot Bitcoin ETF net assets remained at $104.289 billion, and U.S. spot Ethereum ETF net assets stood at $13.45 billion with cumulative net inflows of $11.90 billion. Separately, DefiLlama said the top 10 DeFi protocols generated 87% of holder revenue over the past month, led by Hyperliquid, highlighting revenue concentration in decentralized finance.

Terms & Concepts
  • Spot Bitcoin ETF: An exchange-traded fund that holds or tracks Bitcoin directly, giving investors price exposure through traditional brokerage accounts without needing to custody the cryptocurrency themselves.
  • Spot Ethereum ETF: An exchange-traded fund that holds or tracks Ether directly, allowing investors to gain market exposure through traditional brokerage accounts without direct token custody.
  • DeFi: Short for decentralized finance, a blockchain-based financial ecosystem that offers services such as trading, lending, and yield generation without traditional intermediaries.