The coordinated buying also included modest inflows for smaller assets like Solana and XRP, suggests institutional investors are front-loading allocations.
US spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded nearly $670 million in inflows on the first trading day of the year.
The surge signaled renewed investor appetite after a sluggish end to 2025.
On January 2, spot Bitcoin ETFs led the digital asset class’s strong start in 2026, drawing $471 million in net inflows.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the sector, capturing approximately $287 million in new capital, according to data from market tracker SosoValue.
Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed with $88 million, while the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) recorded inflows of $41.5 million.
Grayscale’s converted Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) and Franklin Templeton’s EZBC also saw positive movement, registering $15 million and $13 million, respectively.
Meanwhile, this collective surge represents the second-highest daily inflow for the group since November 11 and surpasses the December 17 peak of $457 million.
The robust activity suggests that institutional investors are reallocating capital after a period of tax-loss harvesting and withdrawals in late December.
Notably, the positive sentiment in the sector extended beyond Bitcoin to the second-largest digital asset.
Ethereum funds reported total net inflows of $174 million. In a divergence from 2025 trends, data indicates the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) paced the cohort with $53.69 million in inflows.
The Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust followed closely with $50 million, while BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) secured $47 million.
Meanwhile, investment products tracking smaller market-cap assets also posted gains, reflecting broader market participation.
Funds tied to XRP recorded $13.59 million in inflows, while Solana-based ETFs added $8.53 million.
Dogecoin ETFs saw a modest inflow of $2.3 million, marking the highest single-day figure for that specific asset class since its inception.
Market analysts view the coordinated inflows across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and alternative coins as a potential indicator of a trend reversal.
The uniform positive performance across these ETFs suggests that US investors are increasing exposure to the crypto sector as the new fiscal year begins.
