After a surge in Bitcoin spot ETF inflows on April 2, yesterday’s market action painted a different picture as institutional investors began offloading BTC holdings.
Despite this retreat, futures traders remain confident, with open interest climbing and funding rates staying positive. However, the options market tells a different story, with traders showing less conviction in sustained upward momentum. As a key batch of BTC options nears expiration, all eyes are on how the market will respond to this divergence.
BTC Spot ETFs See $99.86 Million Outflow as Institutional Confidence Wavers
Institutional investors withdrew liquidity from BTC spot ETFs yesterday, resulting in a net outflow of $99.86 million.
Total Bitcoin Spot ETF Net Inflow. Source: SosoValue
This abrupt shift followed April 2’s $767 million net inflow, which ended a three-day streak of outflows. It signaled a brief return of institutional confidence before momentum quickly reversed.
Grayscale’s ETF GBTC saw the highest amount of fund exits, with a daily net outflow of $60.20 million, bringing its net assets under management to $22.60 billion.
However, BlackRock’s ETF IBIT stood out, witnessing a daily net inflow of $65.25 million. At press time, Bitcoin Spot ETFs have a total net asset value of $92.18 billion, plummeting 5% over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin Derivatives Split as Traders Bet on Both Sides of the Market
Meanwhile, the derivatives market remains split—futures traders are leaning bullish, backed by rising open interest and positive funding rates. In contrast, options traders appear more hesitant, signaling uncertainty in the market’s next move.
At press time, BTC’s futures open is $52.63 billion, up 2% over the past day. The coin’s funding rate remains positive and currently stands at 0.0084%.
BTC Futures Open Interest. Source: Coinglass
Notably, amid the broader market dip, BTC’s price has noted a minor 0.34% decline during the review period.
When BTC’s price declines while its futures open interest rises and funding rates remain positive, it suggests that traders are increasing leveraged positions despite the price drop. The positive funding rate indicates that long positions remain dominant, meaning traders expect a rebound.
However, caution is advised. If BTC’s price continues to fall, it could trigger long liquidations as overleveraged positions get squeezed.
In contrast, the options market tells a different story, with traders showing less conviction in sustained upward momentum. This is evident from the high demand for put options.
According to Deribit, the notional value of BTC options expiring today is $2.17 billion, with a put-to-call ratio of 1.24. This confirms the prevalence of sales options among market participants.
Expiring Bitcoin Options. Source: Deribit
This divide between futures and options traders suggests a tug-of-war between bullish speculation and cautious hedging, potentially leading to heightened volatility in the near term.
