Ethereum and Solana ETF trading accelerated sharply in early January amid growing institutional interest in crypto assets.
Ethereum and Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen unusually high trading volumes in recent sessions.
Such a trend indicates increased investor activity as ETF markets for major cryptocurrencies continue to mature.
Growing institutional interest
In its latest analysis, Santiment reported that Ethereum ETF trading volume reached record levels in early January, with the 2nd and 5th months seeing the highest daily volumes on record outside of a single anomaly observed on August 21.
As such, the recent growth in Ethereum exchange-traded fund volume reflects a prolonged period of high activity rather than an isolated event. Although the firm cautioned that Ethereum’s price movements remain closely tied to Bitcoin’s broader market direction, it noted that consistent increases in ETF volume historically differ from the anomaly spikes that often appear near local price extremes.
Trading activity in exchange-traded funds for Solana also accelerated sharply, according to its findings, despite the relatively short trading history of these investment funds. The company reported a record daily trading volume of $220 million on the Solana ETF, after surpassing the previous high of $122 million recorded on the second day after the ETF went public. The increase in volume coincided with SOL returning to the $140 level for the first time in four weeks.
Santiment said that for newly launched ETFs such as Solana’s, record volume days may have additional significance due to limited historical data. The company noted that later-stage volume increases, as opposed to early-launch spikes, may indicate increasing liquidity and broader participation as the product gains traction.
The analytics firm added that the recent surge in Solana ETF numbers occurred alongside reports of growing institutional interest in crypto products beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Morgan Stanley’s filing of its first Solana-related ETF was a potential factor that brought additional attention to SOL-focused investment vehicles.
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First release of Bitcoin
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, on the other hand, recorded their first net outflow of the year on January 6, losing $243.24 million after a brief period of strong inflows in early 2026. The reversal came after a month in which Bitcoin ETFs largely saw outflows as BTC struggled below the $90,000 level.
After the New Year, Bitcoin briefly reached around $95,000. Over the first two trading days of the year, spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted approximately $471 million and $700 million in net inflows, respectively.
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