Ethereum outpaces Bitcoin as institutional inflows hit record $11.2B in July

Institutional investors are pouring money into crypto investment products at record levels, with Ethereum leading the charge.

According to the latest data from CoinShares, digital asset funds attracted $1.9 billion last week alone. This brought total inflows for July to a historic $11.2 billion, eclipsing the previous peak of $7.6 billion in December 2024.

The trend marks 15 straight weeks of net inflows, signaling sustained institutional confidence in the market.

Ethereum steals Bitcoin’s thunder

While Bitcoin once dominated the institutional crypto investment space, the spotlight has shifted sharply toward Ethereum, the second-largest digital asset by market capitalization.

According to the CoinShares report, Ethereum was the clear standout performer for last week, drawing in $1.59 billion, its second-strongest weekly figure ever.

Data from Soso Value confirmed the trend, showing that Ethereum products outpaced Bitcoin on all five trading days last week.

One notable performer was BlackRock’s ETHA, which has quickly become one of the fastest-growing Ethereum-based investment products, managing more than $10 billion in assets.

This recent run has pushed Ethereum’s year-to-date inflows to $7.79 billion, which is already higher than its total for all of 2024.

Still, the market momentum remains strong, with SharpLink’s chairman Joseph Lubin, stating:

“Ethereum is entering its next chapter: one where serious capital, experienced leadership, and deeply aligned builders will push it into the core of global finance.”

Altcoin season?

The CoinShares report suggested that the crypto industry might be entering into an “altcoin season,” considering the slowed performance of Bitcoin-focused funds.

Last week, Bitcoin saw mild outflows of $175 million, continuing trends that have seen investors shift to other major altcoins like Solana and XRP.

At the same time, short Bitcoin products also lost $4.6 million, suggesting weakening interest in bearish bets.

Crypto Investment Flows (Source: CoinShares)

In contrast, funds tied to altcoins saw strong activity last week. Solana attracted $311 million, XRP gained $189 million, and SUI pulled in $8 million.

However, not all altcoins shared in the optimism. Litecoin experienced $1.2 million in outflows, while Bitcoin Cash lost about $660,000.

So far in 2025, non-Bitcoin and non-Ethereum assets have drawn more than $1.5 billion in inflows.

James Butterfill, CoinShares Head of Research, noted that much of this activity may be driven by growing speculation around potential US approvals for altcoin-based ETFs.

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