According to data and market observers, Bitcoin price has risen back above $97,000 this week, supported by sustained capital repatriation into U.S. Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds, indicating a structural shift in demand after months of sideways trading.
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs (BTC) have attracted a complete of nearly $1.5 billion in net inflows for the reason that start of the 12 months, in accordance with data cited by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. This total reflects a multi-day period of positive creation activity, which got here amid renewed interest from larger allocators following a period of subdued ETF inflows in late 2025.
Balchunas said in a post
Source: Eric Balchunas
ETF buyers recorded net inflows of $843.6 million on Wednesday alone, bringing the weekly total to $1.07 billion and increasing the year-to-date figure. While one-day inflows have caught the eye, the broader picture is about more stable demand returning after an earlier rotation inside products.
Will Institutions Flip the Bitcoin Script?
Bitcoin is rallying in the beginning of a period that has historically been more difficult for the asset. Market watchers often point to Bitcoin's four-year cycles, which loosely coincide with halving events and where prices typically peak 12 to 18 months after each supply reduction, a pattern that means the market can have already surpassed its cyclical peak.
Although the four-year cycle is just not a rule, market behavior previously has led many analysts to approach this phase with caution.
The current recovery follows a mixed performance in 2025, when Bitcoin hit latest all-time highs but didn’t sustain momentum within the broader crypto market. Despite significant price increases, the rally didn’t result in an prolonged “altcoin season,” which is why many investors were dissatisfied by the dearth of consistency.
According to Wintermute, a structural shift in Bitcoin markets could also be needed to support a broader recovery by 2026. In a recent outlook, the market maker said a market-wide recovery would likely rely upon further accumulation by digital asset exchange-traded funds and treasury firms or an expansion of their mandates beyond Bitcoin to other digital assets.
Bitcoin didn’t attract sustained retail inflows in 2025 as investors looked to latest growth themes around AI, robotics and space stocks. Source: Wintermute
Wintermute also noted the necessity for stronger and more consistent performance across all major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, to realize a broader wealth effect.
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