Bitcoin Drops Below 71K As ETF Flows Turn Negative

On March 18, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $163.5 million in net outflows, ending seven consecutive sessions of inflows, even as BTC dipped below $71,000 after surpassing $75,000 earlier in the week. Such a halt occurs when these products were only $100 million away from returning to positive territory since the start of the year.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs end seven inflow sessions

After seven consecutive inflow sessions, US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $163.5 million in net outflows on March 18, ending their longest positive streak since October 2025. In one week, these products had absorbed $1.2 billion, signaling a marked resurgence of investor interest.

Before this drop, ETFs were only about $100 million away from returning to positive territory since the start of the year. The break occurred when Bitcoin plunged below $71,000, after exceeding $75,000 a few days earlier. This coincidence between price decline and flow reversal highlights how reactive the market remains during volatility phases.

• US spot Bitcoin ETFs ended a streak of seven consecutive inflow sessions, after accumulating $1.2 billion ;

• The break occurred this Wednesday, with $163.5 million in net outflows ;

• Specifically, FBTC had $103.8 million in outflows, followed by IBIT with $33.9 million ;

• GBTC lost $18.8 million, while BITB declined by $7 million during the same session ;
• ETFs “ended their inflow streak amid Bitcoin’s decline”.

Market weakness extends beyond Bitcoin

The decline was not limited to Bitcoin. Spot Ether ETFs also ended the session in the red with nearly $55.7 million in net outflows, including $37.1 million for FETH and $8.9 million for ETHE.

The drop was more contained for Solana, with a loss close to $300,000, while XRP ETFs recorded no net inflows. Meanwhile, the Crypto Fear & Greed index fell from 26 to 23, moving from the “fear” zone to that of “extreme fear”, signaling a marked return of nervousness among investors.

Kyle Rodda, senior analyst at Capital.com, summarizes the session in a direct phrase: “price momentum clearly shows a market running out of steam”. His analysis echoes a more strained macroeconomic context, fueling investor caution.

The FOMC kept its key rate unchanged, in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, while the Federal Reserve noted still slightly high inflation and pointed to uncertainties linked to conflicts in the Middle East.

The session reminds us that ETF momentum remains fragile once the market tightens. Between capital outflows, the return of fear, and an uncertain macroeconomic environment, the Bitcoin price becomes the anchor point of a market quick to change course.