U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $133.3 million in net outflows on Wednesday, as market sentiment remained deeply rooted in “extreme fear.”
The withdrawals bring weekly losses to $238 million, setting the stage for a potential five-week outflow streak amid weakening institutional interest and testing of technical support levels.
This change in flow has intensified the debate over Bitcoin price prediction, with analysts assessing whether the current weakness signals a deeper correction or a consolidation phase before a potential rebound.
On February 18 (ET), U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw total net outflows of $133 million. The BlackRock spot Bitcoin ETF IBIT recorded the largest single-day net outflow, at $84.19 million. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw total net outflows of $41.83 million, with the BlackRock spot Ethereum ETF… pic.twitter.com/qLL3lr7vNY
-Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) February 19, 2026
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Bitcoin ETF Outflows Signal Institutional Caution
The sustained selling pressure highlights a notable change in institutional behavior after a good start to the year. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the outflows with more than $84 million withdrawn in a single session.
Although recent data indicates a weakening of institutional interest in US-listed products, underlying indicators suggest this may be a readjustment rather than a complete exit.
The total net assets of Bitcoin ETFs remain substantial at $83.6 billion, representing approximately 6.3% of the total asset market capitalization. Trading volumes, however, remained subdued at less than $3 billion, indicating a lack of conviction on the part of buyers to immediately absorb selling pressure.
Total Bitcoin Net Assets Source: Coinglass
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Sentiment Measures Indicate Sustained Bearish Conditions and Cautious Bitcoin Price Forecast
Market sentiment has deteriorated significantly, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index persisting in “extreme fear” territory.
This reading often implies excessive investor concern, but some analysts view these measures as potential contrarian buying signals. This dynamic was explored when BitMine added ETH during similar sentiment dips. The current reading matches Bitcoin falling below $66,000, testing investors’ resolve after a multi-month low.
Interestingly, despite the outflows, long-term Bitcoin ETF holders have shown “diamond hands” during broader stock market crashes, suggesting that the current sell-off may be a tactical rebalancing rather than a panic-driven capitulation.
A distinct divergence is also appearing in the altcoin sector; U.S. Spot Solana ETFs bucked the negative trend, recording a six-day streak of inflows and reinforcing the narrative of capital rotation toward high-volume alternatives.
The crypto market needs strong ETF data to bottom out.
All major ETFs are negative except $ SOL pic.twitter.com/6xcv80G8WE
– DrBullZeus (@DrBullZeus) February 19, 2026
Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can We Expect Further Drop?
Bitcoin Price Prediction Source: TradingView
Bitcoin’s immediate outlook depends on its ability to reclaim support levels following the recent decline below $66,000. If capital outflows persist through Friday, the market will confirm its first five-week streak since March 2025.
Analysts suggest this behavior reflects macro-sensitive “beta” trading rather than a fundamental failure. Even if the rotation continues, the $60,000 floor remains a crucial psychological barrier.
Traders are closely watching whether U.S. capital outflows will stabilize or whether the resilience of European investments can offset domestic selling pressure in the coming weeks.
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Can Bitcoin Hyper Capture On-Chain Demand During BTC’s Weak Phase?
After U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF outflows weighed on sentiment and kept the market in “extreme fear,” some investors are looking for alternative ways to engage with the Bitcoin ecosystem during this phase of possible consolidation.
As total net assets of Bitcoin ETFs remain near $83-$94 billion and dip buyers from strategy desks pile in due to price weakness, a distinct narrative has emerged around infrastructure scaling that could bring more on-chain activity back to Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) is an ongoing presale for a Layer 2 network that aims to extend Bitcoin’s core strengths with faster, lower-cost transactions and smart contract support by integrating Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) and a canonical bridge to Bitcoin.
The HYPER native token plays multiple roles: it is used for network fees, governance, and staking: early participants can lock up tokens during the presale to earn rewards before launch.
With a fixed supply of 21 billion tokens and tiered prices that increase as rounds progress, the presale provides early supporters a way to get exposure ahead of the exchange listing and mainnet rollout, currently planned for late 2025 and first quarter 2026.
Audits from companies like Coinsult and SpyWolf support its technical underpinnings.
In a market where turnover favors assets with increased utility, Bitcoin Hyper is positioning itself to expand Bitcoin’s role beyond a store of value.
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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article is intended to provide accurate and current information, but should not be considered financial or investment advice. Because market conditions can change quickly, we encourage you to verify the information for yourself and consult a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Daniel Frances is a technical writer and Web3 educator specializing in macroeconomics and DeFi mechanics. Hailing from crypto since 2017, Daniel leverages his experience in on-chain analytics to write evidence-based reports and in-depth guides. He holds certifications from the Blockchain Council and is dedicated to providing “insight gain” that overcomes market hype to find real utility for blockchain.
