Crypto ETFs Dump $240M as Institutions Rotate from Bitcoin into Solana

Over those five weeks, cumulative outflows reached $3.8 billion. Year-to-date for 2026, the total sits between $4 and $4.5 billion. Thats a massive reversal from 2025, when strong inflows helped push Bitcoin to its $127,000 all-time high.

Crypto ETFs: SOL, LINK, and AVAX Gain as Institutions Rotate

The altcoin crypto ETFs side tells a different story. Solana ETFs collected $8 million in inflows on Feb. 23. Thats 96,677 SOL tokens accumulated.

Chainlink products added $1.85 million, equal to 223,740 LINK tokens. Avalanche brought in $2.58 million, representing 310,020 AVAX.

This creates a clear pattern. Institutions aren‘t abandoning crypto ETFs entirely. They’re shifting allocation. Moving out of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Moving into Solana, Chainlink, and Avalanche.

Why would institutions rotate this way？ Possibly because they see better risk-reward in smaller caps.

Bitcoin already ran from $15,000 lows to $127,000 highs. Ethereum went from under $1,000 to over $4,000.

Solana and others trade well below their prior peaks. If institutions believe the crypto cycle continues, buying beaten-down alts makes sense. The timing also matters.

Feb. 23 saw Bitcoin testing two-week lows around $63,000. The Fear and Greed Index dropped to extreme fear.

Crypto Market Fear And Greed | Source: CoinMarketCap

Thats typically when smart money repositions.

Fifth Straight Week Shows Crypto ETFs Bleeding from Bitcoin

The five-week streak of Bitcoin ETF outflows stands out historically. When products launched in 2024 and 2025, flows were mostly positive.

Sustained multi-week bleeding is new. It signals a shift in institutional sentiment. Part of this ties to broader market conditions.

Risk-off sentiment from tariff concerns and macro uncertainty hit all assets. But the rotation pattern suggests something beyond just risk-off. If institutions were simply de-risking, all crypto ETFs would bleed.

Instead, altcoins are gaining even as majors lose. Bitcoin ETF holdings remain massive despite outflows.

Total assets under management still sit around $80 to $85 billion. Cumulative inflows since launch exceed $53 to $54 billion even after recent bleeding.

Bitcoin Inflows Total | Source: SoSo Value

Five weeks of outflows hurt sentiment, but its not a full collapse yet. For now, the crypto ETFs data is clear. Institutions are pulling from Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs while adding to select altcoins. Whether that rotation continues or reverses depends on what Bitcoin does next.