- Bitcoin ETFs shed $244 million on Thursday, extending a rough stretch for crypto exchange-traded funds.
- Bitcoin traded near $82,515, down 0.91% on the day, after a $1 billion liquidation event.
- Ethereum changed hands around $2,498, down 2.93%, while XRP slipped 1.36% to about $1.40.
- XRP-linked ETFs were the only crypto funds in the green, bucking outflows across BTC, ETH and ZEC products.
- The ZEC fund extended a run of October outflows, deepening the divergence within the crypto ETF complex.
The divergence matters because ETF flows have become one of the most closely watched gauges of institutional demand for crypto. When money leaves Bitcoin and Ethereum funds but lands in XRP vehicles, it suggests allocators are not abandoning the asset class so much as repositioning within it. That is a meaningfully different signal than a broad-based exit, and it helps explain why XRP has held up better than its larger peers on a relative basis even as its price drifted lower.
Price Action Reflects the Split
Bitcoin traded near $82,515 on the day, down 0.91%, still nursing the aftereffects of a $1 billion liquidation that rippled through leveraged positions. Ethereum was weaker, changing hands around $2,498 for a decline of 2.93%, a sharper move that reflects its higher beta to broad crypto risk appetite. XRP slipped 1.36% to roughly $1.40, a comparatively modest drawdown that lines up with the fund flow picture.
The liquidation event is the key context for the price weakness. Forced selling of that magnitude tends to hit the most leveraged corners of the market first, and Bitcoin’s slide back toward the low-$80,000s is consistent with deleveraging rather than a change in the underlying investment thesis. Ethereum’s steeper drop fits the same pattern, since altcoins typically amplify moves in the market leader in both directions.
Why XRP Funds Are Drawing Interest
XRP’s relative resilience in the ETF channel likely reflects a few overlapping factors. Product launches and expanding access can attract fresh capital even in a soft tape, and investors who already hold Bitcoin and Ethereum exposure may be looking to diversify within crypto rather than add to positions that have already run. Zcash’s continued October outflows point to the opposite dynamic: privacy-focused funds have struggled to hold assets as the broader market consolidates.
None of this guarantees that the rotation persists. ETF flows are notoriously streaky, and a single strong session for Bitcoin can reverse the narrative quickly. But for now, the data tells a clear story: capital is not leaving crypto ETFs en masse, it is being selective. XRP vehicles are the beneficiary, while BTC, ETH and ZEC products absorb the redemptions.
What to Watch Next
The next several sessions will show whether the XRP bid is durable or merely a one-day quirk. Traders will also be watching whether Bitcoin can stabilize above the $82,000 area or whether the post-liquidation unwind has further to run. Ethereum’s ability to hold the $2,500 region is another key marker, given how quickly it has given up ground.
For investors, the takeaway is that crypto ETF flows have become a stock-picker’s game rather than a single directional bet. The asset class is maturing to the point where fund-level demand can diverge sharply from headline prices, and Thursday’s session was a clean example. Whether that divergence widens or closes will depend on flows in the days ahead, not on any single print.
Source: coindesk.com
