Bitcoin ETFs See Massive $667 Million Influx as Institutional FOMO Returns

Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $667.4 million in inflows on May 19, the second-largest single-day inflow this month, marking a four-day streak of net positive flows.

The surge was led by BlackRock’s IBIT with $305.9 million, followed by Fidelity’s FBTC with $199.1 million and Ark’s ARKB with $155.3 million in inflows. Monday’s influx followed steady buying across the previous four trading sessions, bringing the cumulative inflows from May 15 to May 19 to just over $1.25 billion.

May 15 saw $114.9 million in net inflows, a recovery from the sharp $91.4 million outflow on May 13. That decline had followed a period of stagnation and outflows earlier in the month.

However, by May 14, investor appetite had clearly returned, with $319.5 million entering ETFs, led again by IBIT and FBTC. May 16 added another $260.0 million, showing continuity in buying pressure that persisted through the weekend and into Monday.

Key ETF Performers

The inflows were led by major institutional products:

BlackRock's IBIT: $305.9 million

Fidelity's FBTC: $199.1 million

ARK Invest's ARKB: $155.3 million

Market Recovery Timeline

The rebound followed a brief period of outflows earlier in May:

May 13: $91.4 million outflow

May 14: Strong recovery with $319.5 million inflow

May 15-16: Continued momentum with 114.9Mand114.9Mand260M inflows respectively

Price Correlation

Bitcoin's price movement closely tracked the ETF flows:

Rose from 103,786to103,786to105,616 between May 15-19

Peaked at $106,473 on May 18

Maintained support above $105,000 despite minor pullbacks

Market Stability Indicators

GBTC outflows halted completely on May 19

Multiple issuers showed consistent inflows

Bitcoin successfully reclaimed the psychologically important $100,000 level

Analysis: The synchronized ETF inflows and price stability suggest institutions are accumulating positions rather than making short-term trades. This pattern historically precedes sustained upward movements in Bitcoin's price.

*Data source: Farside Investors (May 1-19, 2025 flows)*