Bitcoin and ether ETFs see outflows ahead of Christmas, led by IBIT and ETHE

• Bitcoin and ether spot ETFs experienced significant outflows on Dec. 24, with traders reducing risk ahead of the Christmas break.
• BlackRock's IBIT and Grayscale's GBTC led the bitcoin ETF outflows, while Grayscale's ETHE saw the largest outflow among ether ETFs.
• Despite the outflows, Grayscale's Ethereum Mini Trust ETF recorded a notable inflow, highlighting varied investor strategies during low liquidity periods.

Spot bitcoin and ether ETFs saw another round of outflows on Dec. 24 as traders moved into the Christmas break with reduced liquidity and a weaker appetite for risk.

SoSoValue data showed bitcoin spot ETFs posted $175 million in net outflows on Wednesday, while ether spot ETFs showed $57 million in outflows.

The biggest single-day exit came from BlackRock’s IBIT, which saw $91.37 million leave the fund. Grayscale’s GBTC followed with a $24.62 million outflow.

Ethereum spot ETFs also lost ground. SoSoValue reported $52.7 million in net outflows on the day.

Grayscale’s ETHE led the selling pressure with a $33.78 million outflow, bringing its cumulative historical net outflows to $5.083 billion.

The only notable offset came from Grayscale’s Ethereum Mini Trust ETF ETH$2,939.08, which recorded a $3.33 million inflow and has now reached $1.506 billion in cumulative inflows.

The pattern fits what tends to happen around major holidays. Trading volumes drop sharply, desks run lighter, and positioning becomes more defensive.

In that environment, even modest orders can have an outsized effect on ETF flows, especially when market makers widen spreads and investors prefer to sit on cash rather than carry exposure through illiquid sessions.

Outflows also do not automatically mean investors are turning bearish. Some flows reflect routine rebalancing, tax management, or rolling exposure between products.

But the direction matters because these ETFs have become a visible proxy for institutional demand. When flows turn negative for several sessions, it reinforces the idea that crypto still behaves like a risk asset that struggles when liquidity tightens.

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• XRP fell to $1.86 as traders sold into rallies, despite steady demand for spot ETFs and a rise in total ETF-held assets to $1.25 billion.
• Institutional investors are increasingly using exchange-traded funds for XRP exposure, adding $8.19 million recently, indicating a preference for structured products.
• XRP remains in a $1.85–$1.91 range, with strong selling near $1.90 and consistent bids near $1.86, suggesting a potential decisive break ahead.

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