XRP ETFs notch first outflows as nearly $600M exits Bitcoin, Ether funds

US spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their first net outflow day since launch, with about $40.8 million exiting the products on Wednesday, ending a multi-week streak of uninterrupted inflows. 

SoSoValue data shows that the pullback marked the first daily reversal after XRP ETFs had steadily accumulated assets since mid-November 2025. The outflow day also followed a strong start to the year, with the funds logging consecutive inflow days, pushing their cumulative net inflows to $1.2 billion.

The red day coincided with heavy selling pressure across major crypto-linked ETFs. Farside Investors data shows that spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $486 million in outflows on Wednesday, their biggest net outflow day since November. Spot Ether ETFs also flipped negative on Wednesday, recording $98 million in net outflows. 

Despite its first outflow day, XRP ETFs remain some of the strongest-performing crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs), with total net assets still hovering above $1.5 billion. 

Crypto ETF flows turn mixed at the start of 2026

During the opening trading days of the year, ETF flows have diverged sharply by asset class. Spot BTC ETFs started January with sizable inflows of $471 million on Friday and $697 million on Monday before the reversals of $243 million in outflows on Tuesday and the heftier $486 million drawdown on Wednesday. 

Spot ETH ETFs recorded a similar pattern. The funds posted inflows of $174 million on Friday, $168 million on Monday, and $114 million on Tuesday before Wednesday’s $98 million in outflows. 

Smaller crypto ETFs have performed better. Spot Solana ETFs continued to attract capital, recording modest but consistent inflows during the first trading days of January. 

Chainlink ETFs shifted to flat flows on Wednesday after several days of modest inflows ranging from $822,000 to $2.2 million.

Meanwhile, Dogecoin ETFs recorded no net movement on Tuesday and Wednesday after starting the year strong with $2.3 million and $1.6 million in inflows on Friday and on Monday.

From one-way inflows to normalization

The Wednesday outflow follows weeks of strong demand for XRP-linked ETF products. The ETFs also topped $1 billion in assets under management, which was attributed to investor familiarity with the token and its performance. On Dec. 19, CF Benchmarks CEO Sui Chung said XRP’s long track record made it easier to attract traditional investors. 

XRP ETF momentum persisted through December. By Dec. 30, spot XRP ETFs had a consecutive inflow streak of 29 days, even as other crypto ETF products showed sharp monthly outflows as traders performed year-end repositioning. 

XRP entered 2026 as one of the best-performing major currencies, supported by its ETF inflows, bullish sentiment and declining exchange balances. However, analysts warned that ETF inflows and sentiment do not guarantee sustained price appreciation. 

The first outflow day may be a reflection of this transition. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.12, down 7% over the last 24 hours.