Bloomberg ETF Analyst: IBIT Turns Positive on 2026 Net Flows as Bitcoin ETF Holders Show More Staying Power Than Gold Investors

Eric Balchunas, Bloomberg's senior ETF analyst, said in a post on X that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs drew $2.5 billion of net inflows this month, putting the category one step away from fully erasing year-to-date net outflows. Balchunas noted that BlackRock's IBIT is the first spot Bitcoin ETF to move into positive net inflows for 2026. On a year-to-date basis, IBIT now ranks in the top 2% of all ETFs by fund flows. He added that flows have remained notably resilient even as Bitcoin has fallen about 40% over the past six months amid broadly negative sentiment. By comparison, when gold slid roughly 40% over a short period about a decade ago, around one-third of investors exited their positions. Balchunas said the contrast underscores unusually strong holding behavior among Bitcoin investors, while emphasizing he did not intend any disrespect toward gold investors.