TLDR
- Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $458.2M net inflows in one day.
- BlackRock IBIT led with $263.2M in new investments.
- Bitcoin traded near $68,183 after touching $69,500.
- Ethereum ETFs added $38.7M in net inflows.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $458 million in net inflows as tensions rose in the Middle East. The strong capital movement came during escalating U.S., Israel, and Iran conflict developments, and it supported a sharp rebound in Bitcoin prices.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs See $458M Inflows Amid Middle East Tensions
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $458.2 million in net inflows during rising Middle East tensions. The flows came as markets reacted to developments involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran. Data from SoSoValue showed that none of the 12 approved Bitcoin ETFs recorded outflows.
BlackRock’s IBIT led the inflows with $263.2 million. Fidelity’s FBTC followed with $94.8 million in net additions. Other funds reported smaller but positive inflows. The capital movement supported Bitcoin’s price recovery. The asset climbed to $69,500 during the session.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin traded near $68,183. The price marked a gain of about 2.3% over 24 hours. Market participants viewed the flows as steady institutional demand. Singapore-based QCP Capital stated that recent long liquidations were “notable but contained.” The firm noted that positioning had already been reduced in prior weeks.
Institutional Demand Supports Price Recovery
Bitcoin’s rally followed a period of volatility linked to geopolitical headlines. The asset had dropped near $62,400 before rebounding sharply. The move from the low to the weekly high exceeded 7% within one day. ETF inflows provided direct buying pressure in the spot market.
Over the past 10 days, average daily inflows increased by 34% compared to the prior period. The trend showed continued capital allocation into Bitcoin products. Last week alone, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs added $1.1 billion over three sessions. BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for nearly half of that total. The steady flows suggested that investors treated the conflict-related volatility as limited.
Options data also reflected short-term hedging activity. One-day implied volatility rose to 93% before falling back. QCP Capital reported that traders were managing event risk rather than expecting extended instability.
Leverage Reset and Ethereum ETF Activity
Bitcoin’s futures market showed reduced leverage during the rally. Aggregated open interest fell to about 235,167 BTC. This level was lower than the previous reading above 240,000 BTC. The drop indicated that leveraged positions were cleared during recent volatility. Funding rates remained slightly negative. This meant short positions were still paying long positions, which suggested balanced positioning.
Ethereum ETFs also recorded net inflows, though at lower levels. On March 2, 2026, Ethereum ETFs added $38.7 million in total. The ETHA ETF attracted $26.5 million of that amount. Other Ethereum products, including ETHE and ETH, saw smaller inflows. The allocation pattern showed more selective capital placement in ether-related funds.
Analysts noted that sustained inflows could support a short-term price increase of 5-10%. Bitcoin’s performance remained closely tied to ETF demand. As spot products continued to attract capital, price stability improved. The combination of steady inflows and lower leverage shaped current market condition





