- Bitcoin ETFs gain momentum with 3,569 BTC inflows, while retail investors exit with 247,000 BTC sold in 2025.
- Abraxas Capital’s $60M ETH acquisition contrasts with Ethereum ETFs’ 7-day outflows, revealing a shift toward private fund accumulation.
- Google Trends shows “Etherium” interest peaking in Australia, despite ETH underperforming BTC with a 7.25% price drop this week.
U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of 3,569 BTC, worth $368.81 million, as of May 12, signaling renewed institutional interest. Ethereum ETFs also showed 1-day net inflows totaling 8,070 ETH, or $20.41 million, but broader trends highlight weakening sentiment.
According to Lookonchain, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) dominated inflows with 3,454 BTC ($356.96 million), pushing its total holdings to 625,054 BTC valued at $64.6 billion. The aggregate holdings across all ten Bitcoin ETFs now stand at 1,174,169 BTC, equivalent to $121.34 billion, with a 7-day net inflow of 9,616 BTC.
Ethereum ETFs now hold 3,447,913 ETH, or $8.72 billion, yet they posted a 7-day net outflow of 22,459 ETH, totaling $56.8 million. BlackRock’s ETHB saw a 1-day inflow of 7,568 ETH but had a 7-day outflow of 4,648 ETH, reflecting shorter-term positioning versus long-term conviction.
Institutional Bitcoin Accumulation Strengthens in 2025
Recent movements in the sector have reshaped priorities, with businesses taking the lead in Bitcoin accumulation this year. Institutions have added 157,000 BTC since January, with MicroStrategy alone accounting for 77% of that figure.
In comparison, ETFs and crypto funds have added 49,000 BTC to their holdings, reinforcing the shift from retail to institutional control. Governments contributed to the trend, acquiring 19,000 BTC, while the “Other” category, likely composed of trusts and hybrid structures, added 21,000 BTC.
Retail investors have exited en masse, shedding 247,000 BTC in 2025, positioning them as the largest net sellers. These capital reallocations underscore Bitcoin’s ongoing institutionalization and increasing detachment from retail market flows.
Abraxas Capital Accelerates ETH Acquisition
Simultaneously, other market indicators suggest a different trend for Ethereum. Ted Pillows highlighted that Abraxas Capital Management accumulated over 24,000 ETH in 48 hours, roughly $60 million, via transactions traced to Binance hot wallets.
The firm’s largest single transfer was 4,503 ETH worth $11.59 million, with smaller but frequent transactions reinforcing a pattern of high-frequency acquisition. The activity reflects concentrated ETH accumulation by a single institutional entity, despite recent Ethereum ETF outflows.
These aggressive inflows contrast sharply with waning ETF sentiment, potentially signaling private fund interest diverging from public ETF trends. Such behavior suggests select institutions may be seeking Ethereum exposure outside traditional vehicles.
Retail Interest in Ethereum Rises Despite Price Lag
The shift in ETH ETF holdings comes amid a rise in public interest, particularly among nontraditional audiences. S4mmy noted a surge in Google Trends data for the misspelled “Etherium” in Australia, peaking at a score of 100 on May 9 after trending near zero throughout April.
The sustained spike implies growing curiosity from newer retail participants, despite ETH’s underperformance relative to BTC. This mismatch between rising retail attention and lagging ETF flows highlights a gap between interest and institutional conviction.
TradingView Data Shows Ethereum Underperforming Bitcoin
Chart data from TradingView reinforces the divergence. Between May 5 and May 12, ETH/USDT fell 7.25%, while BTC/USDT climbed 5.39%. The price gap widened as Bitcoin hovered near $102,828 and Ethereum remained pinned under $3,000.
Ethereum’s recent decline is consistent with negative pressure at key resistance levels, but institutional investors and ETF inflows are still supporting Bitcoin’s upward trend. Since early 2021, the ETH/BTC ratio has not been this low, at 0.0292.
