$635.6 Million Exits U.S. Bitcoin Funds After Strong Inflows

Key Facts

U.S. spot Bitcoin funds recorded net outflows of $635.6 million on October 22, 2026, after attracting $524.8 million the previous day, according to Farside Investors data. The shift between the two sessions marked a rapid reversal in flows, with the funds moving from receiving new money to recording broad net withdrawals. It came as the annual U.S. inflation reading accelerated and technology stocks came under pressure in the markets. But the timing of these developments does not prove that inflation or stock movements caused the fund outflows. The figures instead highlight the sensitivity of daily flows to changes in investor sentiment.

The outward trend continued on October 23, when reported net outflows totaled $137.9 million, according to Farside's table. IBIT and FBTC recorded outflows of $110.3 million and $31.8 million, respectively, while MSBT posted an inflow of $4.2 million. A dash appeared in the VanEck HODL fund's column, so the total reflects the flows reported in the table, with no figure for that fund. The fund movements show variation across products in the same session, even as the reported overall balance remained negative. Flows had already reversed between October 21 and 22 before outflows continued the following day.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed the consumer price index rose 0.6% in September from a month earlier, after a 0.4% increase in August. The index rose 3.7% in the 12 months through September, compared with 3.4% in the period through August. The core index, which excludes food and energy, also rose 0.3% in September, bringing its annual increase to 2.6%, after 2.4% through August. Gasoline was the main driver of the monthly reading, with its index rising 9.1% and accounting for more than half of the overall increase. The energy index rose 5.2% during the month, the bureau said.

The figures coincided with a decline in technology stocks on October 22, when the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.6%, its worst session since June, according to a report citing CNBC. The S&P 500 fell 1.2%, while the Dow Jones rose 11 points, or less than 0.1%, according to the Associated Press. The agency attributed the pressure to concerns about the borrowing costs needed to build data centers and buy artificial intelligence chips, alongside a 4% rise in Brent crude to $113.17 a barrel. In the same session, the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury fell to 4.97% from 5.13% at the previous day's close, as investors turned to bonds for safety. Reuters said growing skepticism about massive spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure fueled a sell-off in technology stocks.

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin fell 0.7% to $81,909 on October 23 and remained within a trading range of $80,000 to $87,000 during the previous month, according to a Reuters report. The report linked pressure on crypto assets to technology stock selling, concerns about higher interest rates and the sustainability of artificial intelligence spending. EL7 data showed Bitcoin closing at $81,416.09 on October 22, then $81,189.43 on October 23 and $80,888.16 on October 24. These closes show a decline over the three days that saw fund outflows, but do not prove that the flows caused the price movement. The Associated Press also reported that futures pricing on October 14 indicated a roughly 50-50 chance of a rate increase at the October meeting.

At its previous meeting on September 16, the Federal Reserve raised its target rate range by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75%-4%, saying inflation remained elevated. The Federal Open Market Committee's next meeting is scheduled for October 27 and 28, according to the central bank's official calendar. The Associated Press said Wall Street expected rates to remain unchanged at the meeting, with another increase in December strongly anticipated. It added that the September personal consumption expenditures index was expected to show annual inflation at 3.7%. These dates put the upcoming price data and rate decision at the forefront of the factors markets will be watching in the following days.