Despite the strong performance last year, the market’s volatility has shifted the outlook for Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2025. A series of major sell-offs have wiped out nearly all the inflows the ETFs received earlier in 2025.
This downturn coincides with Bitcoin’s continued price decline, leaving the ETFs struggling to maintain their momentum as investor sentiment shifts.
Bitcoin ETFs Face Major Setback in 2025
According to a recent post by Bread & Butter on X (formerly Twitter), Bitcoin ETFs had a promising start to the year. Between January 1 and February 7, they saw cumulative inflows of $5.7 billion.
However, a substantial sell-off quickly followed, erasing $5.3 billion of those gains. As a result, net inflows for the year plunged to a low of $106 million.
Bitcoin ETF Inflows vs. Outflows in 2025. Source: X/Bread&Butter
In fact, the largest weekly net outflow was recorded in the final week of February, at $2.7 billion. That’s not all. Since the ETFs began trading, they have experienced outflows in three separate months. February stands out as the most significant, with a staggering $3.5 billion recorded as the largest monthly outflow to date.
Nonetheless, the post revealed a positive shift, noting that inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have resumed. Since March 14, the ETFs have recorded consecutive days of inflows, pushing the year-to-date net inflows to over $600 million.
As of the latest data, the daily total net inflow reached $165.7 million on March 20. Yet, this growth was uneven across the 11 ETFs.
Only four recorded inflows, with iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), leading at $172.1 million, followed by Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) with $9.2 million, Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF (BTC) with $5.2 million, and VanEck Bitcoin ETF(HODL) with $11.9 million.
Meanwhile, four ETFs saw zero flows, and three—Grayscale Bitcoin Trust(GBTC), Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), and Franklin Templeton Digital Holdings Trust (EZBC)—experienced outflows, reflecting a mixed market performance.
“It remains to be seen whether this marks the beginning of a sustained rebound or just a temporary relief,” the post read.
This comes as Bitcoin’s price continues to navigate turbulent waters. The cryptocurrency has faced significant setbacks due to shifting macroeconomic conditions, leading to a notable decline.
According to BeInCrypto data, BTC has depreciated by 12.1% over the past month and 2.0% in the last 24 hours alone. At press time, it was trading at $84,147.
However, analysts suggest that the worst may be over. Arthur Hayes, former CEO of BitMEX, pointed to a potential bullish shift, citing his custom US bank credit supply index, which was moving upwards.
“Doesn’t mean we are done dumping but the odds are shifting more bullish,” he said.
Market observers have also compared Bitcoin to gold. They predict that BTC may follow a similar trajectory and emerge from its current “fakeout” phase. Others believe Bitcoin is in a bear trap that could soon end.
Ethereum reached a notable milestone earlier this month when the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved options trading for several spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The move is expected to increase liquidity, attract interest from institutional investors, and solidify Ethereum’s position as a major cryptocurrency.
Yet Ethereum’s smaller market cap relative to Bitcoin means it is also vulnerable to gamma squeezes, thereby increasing investor risks. BeInCrypto consulted an expert in derivatives trading and representatives from FalconX, BingX, Komodo Platform, and Gravity to analyze the potential impact of this new characteristic.
This week marked the official debut of options trading for spot Ethereum ETFs in the United States. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) was the first to list options, with trading commencing on the Nasdaq ISE.
Shortly after, a broader availability of options followed, including those for the Grayscale Ethereum Trust (ETHE) and the Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust (ETH), as well as the Bitwise Ethereum ETF (ETHW), all of which began trading on the Cboe BZX exchange.
This move allows a wider range of investors, beyond crypto traders, to benefit from hedging and speculation opportunities on Ethereum’s price through options on familiar investment vehicles like ETFs without direct ownership.
The timing of this news is particularly positive, as Ethereum has been losing some ground in the market lately.
Options Trading to Bolster Ethereum’s Market Position
A significant decline in market confidence surrounded Ethereum this week, with BeInCrypto reporting its price had plummeted to its lowest point since March 2023. This drop coincided with a broader market downturn, worsened by Donald Trump’s Liberation Day.
Meanwhile, large Ethereum holders are increasingly selling off substantial amounts, putting downward pressure on their prices. Ethereum’s value has fallen sharply by 51.3% since the beginning of 2025, and investor confidence has waned, as evidenced by a decrease in addresses holding at least $1 million in ETH.
Holders with at least $1 million worth of ETH. Source: Glassnode.
With options trading now accessible to more traders, experts anticipate that Ethereum’s market position will improve.
“ETH’s been leaking dominance, stuck sub-17%. Options give it institutional gravity. It becomes more programmable for fund strategies. More tools mean more use cases, which then in turn means more capital sticking around,” Martins Benkitis, CEO and Co-Founder of Gravity Team, predicted.
This newfound accessibility of options trading will create additional opportunities for investors and the broader Ethereum ecosystem.
Greater Investor Access and Liquidity
The SEC’s approval of Ethereum ETFs in July 2024 was significant because it allowed traditional investors to enter the crypto market without directly holding the assets. Now, with options trading also available, these benefits are expected to be even greater.
The Ethereum ETF market will naturally become more liquid with increased participation through options trading.
High Trading Volumes and Hedging Demands
The SEC’s fresh approval of options trading for Ethereum ETF investors suggests that the market will likely initially experience a high trading volume. As a result, market makers must be prepared.
An increase in call options will require institutional market makers to hedge by buying more Ethereum to meet demand.
Ethereum will also secure a unique advantage, particularly in institutional trading, enhancing its perceived quality and driving optimism among key market participants.
“ETH just got a serious institutional tailwind. With options now in play, Ether is stepping closer to BTC in terms of tradable instruments. This levels up ETH’s legitimacy and utility in hedging strategies, narrowing the gap on Bitcoin’s dominance narrative,” Benkitis told BeInCrypto.
Yet, rapid surges in options trading could also have unintended consequences on Ethereum’s price, especially in the short run.
Will Investors Suffer a Gamma Squeeze?
As market makers rush to acquire more of the underlying asset in case of a higher volume of options calls, Ethereum’s price will naturally increase. This situation could lead to a pronounced gamma squeeze.
When market makers hedge their positions in this scenario, the resulting buying pressure would create a positive feedback loop. Retail investors will feel more inclined to join in, hoping to profit from Ethereum’s rising price.
The implications of this scenario are especially pronounced for Ethereum, considering its market capitalization is notably smaller than that of Bitcoin.
Retail traders’ aggressive buying of ETHA call options could compel market makers to hedge by acquiring the underlying ETHA shares, potentially leading to a more pronounced effect on the price of ETHA and, by extension, Ethereum.
“We believe option sellers will generally dominate in the long-run but in short bursts we could see retail momentum traders become massive buyers of ETHA calls and create gamma squeeze effects, similar to what we’ve seen on meme coin stocks like GME. ETH will be easier to squeeze than BTC given it is only $190 billion market cap vs BTC’s $1.65 trillion,” Joshua Lim, Global Co-head of Markets at FalconX, told BeInCrypto.
Arbitrage involves exploiting price differences for the same or nearly identical assets across different markets or forms. This is done by buying in the cheaper market and selling in the more expensive one.
According to Grant, traders will increasingly look for and exploit these price differences as the market for ETH options on different platforms develops.
While arbitrage activity is expected to refine pricing and liquidity within the Ethereum options market, the asset continues to operate under the shadow of Bitcoin’s established market leadership.
Will Landmark Options Approval Help Ethereum Close the Gap on Bitcoin?
Though Ethereum achieved a major landmark this week, it faces competition from a major rival: Bitcoin.
In late fall of 2024, options trading started on BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), becoming the first US spot Bitcoin ETF to offer options. Though not even a year has passed since the original launch, options trading on Bitcoin ETFs experienced strong trading volumes from retail and institutional investors.
According to Kadan Stadelmann, Chief Technology Officer of Komodo Platform, options trading for Ethereum ETFs will be comparatively underwhelming. Bitcoin will still be the cryptocurrency of choice for investors.
“Compared to Bitcoin’s Spot ETF, Ethereum’s ETF has not seen such stalwart demand. While options trading adds institutional capital, Bitcoin remains crypto’s first mover and enjoys a greater overall market cap. It is not going anywhere. It will remain the dominant crypto asset for institutional portfolios,” Stadelmann told BeInCrypto.
Consequently, his outlook does not include Ethereum’s market position surpassing Bitcoin’s in the immediate term.
“The once-promised flippening of Bitcoin’s market capitalization by Ethereum remains unlikely. Conservative and more-monied investors likely prefer Bitcoin due to its perceived safety compared to other crypto assets, including Ethereum. Ethereum, in order to achieve Bitcoin’s prominence, must depend on growing utility in DeFi and stablecoin markets,” he concluded.
While that may be the case, options trading doesn’t harm Ethereum’s prospects; it only strengthens them.
Can Ethereum’s Options Trading Era Capitalize on Opportunities?
Ethereum is now the second cryptocurrency with SEC approval for options trading on its ETFs. This single move will further legitimize digital assets for institutions, increasing their presence in traditional markets and boosting overall visibility.
Despite recent significant blows to Ethereum’s market position, this news is a positive development. Although it might not be sufficient to surpass its primary competitor, it represents a step in the right direction.
As investors get used to this new opportunity, their participation level will reveal how beneficial it will be for Ethereum.
MANTRA CEO, JP Mullin, is burning 150 million OM tokens from his own allocation and engaging other ecosystem partners to burn an additional 150 million tokens. This 300 million OM token burn aims to restore investor trust in the project and stabilize the altcoin’s price dynamics.
OM is attempting to recover from one of the most dramatic crashes in recent crypto history. On April 13, it lost over 90% of its value in a single hour. The collapse, which erased more than $5.5 billion in market cap, triggered widespread accusations of insider activity and manipulation within the Real-World Assets (RWA) sector.
Understanding MANTRA’s Token Burn
Mantra, once one of the biggest players in the Real-World Assets (RWA) sector, suffered a dramatic collapse on April 13, with its token crashing over 90% in less than an hour and wiping out more than $5.5 billion in market capitalization.
The plunge followed a rapid surge earlier this year, when OM rose from $0.013 to over $6, pushing its fully diluted valuation to $11 billion. The crash was reportedly triggered by a $40 million token deposit into OKX by a wallet allegedly linked to the team, sparking fears of insider selling.
Panic spread quickly as rumors of undisclosed OTC deals, delayed airdrops, and excessive token supply concentration fueled mass liquidations across exchanges.
Despite co-founder John Patrick Mullin denying any wrongdoing and blaming centralized exchanges for forced closures, investors and analysts raised concerns about potential manipulation by market makers and CEXs, drawing comparisons to past collapses like Terra LUNA.
This move also lowers the network’s staked amount by 150 million tokens, which could impact on-chain staking APR.
Additionally, MANTRA is in talks with partners to implement a second 150 million OM burn, potentially cutting the total supply by 300 million tokens.
OM Price Faces Critical Test as Token Burn Battles Lingering Market Doubt
Despite MANTRA’s ongoing token burn efforts, it’s still uncertain whether the move will be enough to fully restore investor confidence in OM.
From a technical standpoint, if momentum begins to recover, OM could test the immediate resistance at $0.59. A successful breakout at that level may pave the way for further gains toward $0.71, with additional key hurdles at $0.89 and $0.997 standing between the token and a return to the psychologically important $1 mark.
However, reclaiming these levels will likely require sustained buying interest and broader sentiment recovery across the Real-World Assets (RWA) sector.
On the downside, if the token burn fails to shift sentiment or if selling pressure continues, OM risks resuming its decline.
The first key support lies at $0.51, and a breakdown below that level could send the price further down to $0.469.
Given the scale of the recent crash and the lingering distrust among investors, the path to recovery remains fragile—OM now sits at a critical crossroads between a potential rebound and further erosion of its market value.
Pi Network has been facing a challenging period after its price dropped by 18% in the last 48 hours.
This drop has invalidated its recent attempt to recover losses from March. The altcoin is now vulnerable to further corrections, raising concerns among investors.
Pi Network’s Bearishness Could Grow
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) continues to indicate that bearish momentum is still present. Currently stuck below the neutral line of 50.0, the RSI is signaling a lack of bullishness for Pi Network. This suggests that the altcoin may face additional downward pressure in the coming days.
The ongoing negative sentiment is compounded by the general market’s lack of momentum. Investors are hesitant to buy Pi Network due to the failure to sustain price recoveries. With no clear bullish signal from the RSI, the risk of further declines remains high.
The Bollinger Bands are narrowing, indicating that Pi Network may soon experience a surge in volatility. This contraction typically signals an impending price breakout or breakdown. However, if the bearish momentum continues, Pi Network could face a sharp decline, confirming the downward trend.
Given the current squeeze in the Bollinger Bands, Pi Network’s price could see a significant move soon. If the bearish trend holds, this volatility may drive the price lower, exacerbating the altcoin’s already weak performance. The uncertainty surrounding the market adds to the vulnerability of Pi Network.
Pi Network’s price is currently at $0.613, but it is still stuck below the $0.617 resistance level. After the 18% drop in the last two days, the altcoin remains under pressure. If the price continues to face downward momentum, it may struggle to break through key resistance levels.
The next major support level for Pi Network is $0.519, which could be the next target if the selling pressure intensifies. A drop to this level could be a precursor to further declines, potentially bringing the price below $0.500. This would significantly impact investors holding the altcoin.
However, if Pi Network can reclaim the $0.617 support, it could break the downtrend and rise toward $0.710. Breaching this resistance would invalidate the bearish outlook and could spark a recovery, giving investors hope for a reversal.
