US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds notched their biggest daily inflows in nearly eight months on Thursday, pulling in $730.9 million as Bitcoin reclaimed the $80,000 level, according to data from Farside Investors and SoSoValue.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the surge, capturing $454 million of the total, or approximately 62 percent. ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) drew $137.7 million, while Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) attracted $74.4 million. VanEck’s Bitcoin ETF (HODL) and WisdomTree’s Bitcoin Fund (BTCW) posted outflows of $19.6 million and $5.2 million respectively.
The Thursday inflow marked the largest single day since January 14, 2026, when spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $843.6 million. Wednesday had seen a more modest $101.2 million in inflows before Thursday’s jump.
Price Action and Technical Levels
Bitcoin traded between roughly $76,000 and $81,000 during the week leading into Thursday’s rally. The asset reached $81,400 on August 28 before retreating, according to CoinGecko price data. The $82,300 level, representing Bitcoin’s 365-day moving average, emerged as the next major technical test, with CryptoQuant noting that this threshold has historically marked the divide between bull and bear markets.
CryptoQuant flagged a critical distinction in the nature of the rally. “Bitcoin’s recent rally was driven largely by traders closing short positions rather than opening new long positions, pointing to limited fresh buying demand,” the analytics firm stated.
Despite record ETF inflows, CryptoQuant expressed caution about the sustainability of the move. “A decisive close above $83K would confirm the new bull market,” the firm said, underscoring the technical hurdle Bitcoin must clear to establish a sustained uptrend.
Profit-Taking and On-Chain Activity
The ETF inflows arrived after a period of significant profit-taking by Bitcoin holders. Between August 19 and August 21, approximately 110,000 BTC in total profits were realized. On August 21 alone, holders realized 23,000 BTC in net profits, marking the highest daily amount in 2026, according to CryptoQuant data.
The profit-taking phase coincided with Bitcoin’s approach to the $83,000 level, a key bull market threshold identified by market participants. The combination of institutional ETF demand and retail profit-taking suggests divergent positioning as Bitcoin tests critical resistance levels.
BlackRock’s IBIT remains the largest US spot Bitcoin ETF by net assets. The fund had drawn $503 million in inflows on August 20, during the earlier phase of the week’s trading activity.
