This year has seen a major surge in inflows for crypto investment products, hitting an annual record of $29.2 billion, as revealed by a recent report from CoinShares.
Weekly net inflows for the past week alone reached $2.18 billion, driven by various market factors and influenced significantly by the political climate in the United States.
Bitcoin Leads In Inflows, US Funds Dominate Market
CoinShares’ report highlighted that the substantial inflows, combined with price increases across major cryptocurrencies in recent months, have driven the total assets under management in crypto funds above the $100 billion mark.
This is only the second time crypto funds have reached this level, last seen in June at a peak of $102 billion. Weekly trading volumes also surged by 67% to $19.2 billion, representing around 35% of Bitcoin’s trading volume on major exchanges.
The report noted a distinct preference for Bitcoin among investors, with Bitcoin-related investment products accounting for $2.16 billion of the total global weekly net inflows.
US-based funds primarily contributed to last week’s net inflows, adding $2.23 billion. Other regions, such as Canada, Germany, and Switzerland, observed slight outflows, with Canadian funds seeing $24.4 million, German funds at $20.3 million, and Swiss funds at $13.8 million in net weekly outflows.
In addition to standard Bitcoin investment products, the report indicated that short-Bitcoin products saw inflows of $8.9 million, suggesting that some investors are hedging against potential downside risks in Bitcoin’s performance.
Aside from Bitcoin, other assets like Ethereum also experienced inflows, albeit at a significantly lower volume. Ethereum-based investment products registered $9.5 million in net inflows over the week, but the report highlighted that the overall sentiment around Ethereum remains less optimistic than Bitcoin and Solana.
Investor Sentiment And Market Trends Shape Inflows
CoinShares Head of Research, James Butterfill’s analysis highlights the effect of current US political developments on crypto investment behavior, particularly Bitcoin.
He pointed out that the substantial inflows witnessed early in the week were likely driven by optimism over potential regulatory and economic changes under a Republican-led administration, reflecting the strong interplay between market sentiment and political forecasts.
However, the slight outflows seen by the week’s end also underscore the market’s sensitivity to shifts in polling data, which could impact future inflows if uncertainties persist.
The CoinShares report also illustrated how this year’s cryptocurrency inflows and price appreciation have collectively positioned 2024 as a pivotal year for crypto investment products.
For comparison, annual inflows have tripled the previous record of $10.5 billion set in 2021, showcasing the growing institutional acceptance and participation in the crypto market.
With these trends in mind, the report suggests that the investment space for digital assets remains strong, though influenced by a complex mix of factors ranging from traditional financial drivers to evolving political conditions.
Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView