U.S. BTC ETFs added $458 million, suggesting institutional buyers are absorbing the weekend shock that briefly sent BTC to $63,000.
Mar 3, 2026, 6:00 a.m.
Bitcoin traded near $68,000 on Tuesday as U.S. spot ETFs pulled in $458 million, according to data curated by SoSoValue, marking one of the quarter’s strongest inflow days despite the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The inflows suggest institutional investors are treating bitcoin’s recent volatility stemming from the war as contained rather than systemic.
Singapore-based trading firm QCP Capital said in a recent note that the roughly $300 million in long liquidations triggered by the weekend headlines were “notable but contained,” arguing that positioning had already been materially lightened in recent weeks.
Options markets told a similar story, QCP wrote, with one-day implied volatility briefly spiking to 93% before quickly retracing, a sign traders were hedging event risk rather than bracing for prolonged escalation.
Meanwhile, U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs added $1.1 billion over three consecutive sessions last week, according to SoSoValue data previously reported by CoinDesk, with BlackRock’s IBIT accounting for roughly half.
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Bitcoin could slide further on liquidity squeeze, but long-term bull case intact: Sygnum CIO
Fabian Dori says a short-term liquidity squeeze is driving crypto’s slump, with further downside possible, though improving macro data and fundamentals could speed a recovery.
What to know:
- Sygnum Bank CIO Fabian Dori says bitcoin’s pullback is a liquidity-driven squeeze, not a structural breakdown in fundamentals.
- Sentiment is at extreme fear levels, leaving markets vulnerable to further volatility and downside.
- Improving business cycle data, stablecoin growth and institutional adoption support a constructive long-term outlook, according to Dori.
