BlackRock scooped up almost $200 million of this crypto in a week

BlackRock accumulated nearly $200 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) over a five-day stretch, even as broader exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows showed signs of short-term weakness.

Data from March 16 to March 20 shows that BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) began the week with strong inflows, attracting about $139.4 million on March 16. Momentum carried into March 17, when the fund added another $169.3 million, marking the strongest single-day intake of the week and helping drive a broader surge in spot Bitcoin ETF demand.

However, sentiment shifted sharply in the second half of the week. The investment giant recorded outflows of approximately $33.9 million on March 18, followed by $38.3 million on March 19. 

Selling pressure intensified into March 20, with an additional $45.9 million exiting the fund. Despite this three-day streak of outflows, earlier inflows were strong enough to leave BlackRock with a net weekly gain of about $190.6 million in Bitcoin exposure.

The broader spot Bitcoin ETF market followed a similar trajectory, with strong inflows early in the week giving way to late-week weakness. March 16 and 17 each saw nearly $200 million in net inflows as institutional demand strengthened.

The trend then reversed, with a sharp $163.5 million outflow on March 18, followed by $90.2 million on March 19 and a smaller $52 million outflow on March 20. This shift suggests that while institutional interest remains, it is increasingly sensitive to short-term price movements and market conditions.

Ethereum ETF hit with outflows 

Meanwhile, BlackRock Ethereum (ETH) ETF showed greater volatility. The iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) recorded a strong $81.7 million inflow on March 17, but this was outweighed by sharp outflows of $102.3 million on March 19 and $31.5 million on March 20. 

Overall, Ethereum ETFs posted a net weekly outflow of about $60 million, pointing to weaker institutional demand for Ethereum.

This divergence highlights Bitcoin’s continued dominance in attracting institutional capital, with firms like BlackRock still accumulating exposure on a net basis despite short-term market pullbacks.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market is ending the week with renewed losses. At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $68,780, while Ethereum was attempting to hold above the $2,000 level, trading at $2,080.

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