Key Points
- Bitcoin has recently reached new all-time highs, driven by record inflows into US spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and renewed market optimism.
- Bitcoin ETFs saw the second-highest inflow since their launch in January 2024, led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).
Bitcoin has recently achieved new all-time highs above $126,000.
This surge is driven by record-breaking inflows into US spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and renewed market optimism.
Record Inflows into Bitcoin ETFs
During the late hours of Oct. 6, the world’s largest cryptocurrency briefly touched $126,198 before light profit-taking.
As of writing, Bitcoin is trading at around $124,000, with $2.47 trillion in market capitalization.
This surge is notable as Bitcoin ETFs recorded the second-highest inflow since their launch in January 2024.
According to data by SoSoValue, these funds brought $1.19 billion in total inflows on October 6, with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) leading with $967 million.
Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, noted that IBIT is on the brink of surpassing $100 billion in assets under management (AUM).
For comparison, the world’s largest ETF, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, took over 2,000 days to reach the same level.
Geraci emphasized that no ETF in the more than 30-year history of the industry has ever expanded at such a pace.
This massive institutional demand follows $3.2 billion in cumulative inflows during the previous week.
It was the second-largest weekly gain for Bitcoin ETFs since launch.
Potential Funding for US Bitcoin Reserve
Meanwhile, crypto-supportive US Senator Cynthia Lummis hinted that funding for the long-discussed US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve could begin soon.
In a recent post, Lummis stated that although the legislative process remains “a slog,” thanks to the US president Donald Trump, the “acquisition of funds for an SBR can start anytime.”
While the exact funding method remains unclear, an official government fact sheet notes that the reserve will initially use Bitcoin already held by the US Treasury.
This includes assets seized through criminal or civil enforcement actions.
Additional Bitcoin acquisitions are expected to occur via budget-neutral channels that “impose no incremental costs on American taxpayers.”
President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this year formally established the framework for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
However, details about its structure and launch timeline remain uncertain.
