Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs See Record Q3 Inflows Amid Crypto Rally

US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw a significant surge in demand during the third quarter, attracting approximately $6.34 billion in net inflows. This marks their strongest quarter of 2026.

This turnaround from Q2's $5 billion in net outflows coincided with one of Bitcoin's strongest quarters in years. The cryptocurrency gained nearly 43% in three months and delivered its strongest quarterly performance since Q4 2024, as well as its best third-quarter return since 2017.

BTC began July near $58,500 before climbing above $80,000 during August and reaching above $86,000 during September. The rally was not evenly distributed across the quarter, with Bitcoin gaining about 7.4% in July, surging almost 25% in August, and adding another 6.3% in September.

The renewed ETF demand also extended beyond Bitcoin to other cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, which attracted approximately $3.05 billion during Q3 after reversing around $714 million in Q2 outflows.