Bitcoin staged a strong recovery in the third quarter, gaining 42.71% as US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded approximately $6.34 billion in net inflows. The performance marked the cryptocurrency’s strongest third quarter since 2017 and reversed the funds’ heavy outflows in the previous quarter, according to Cointelegraph.
ETF inflows rebound after Q2 losses
The quarterly inflows represented a sharp change from the second quarter, when US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $5 billion in net outflows. The funds’ Q3 result was also their strongest quarter of 2026, as investor flows improved alongside Bitcoin’s price recovery.
September accounted for about $2.65 billion of the quarterly total. That was lower than the approximately $3.52 billion recorded in August, but well above July’s $172 million. The monthly figures show that demand strengthened substantially as the quarter progressed, even though the pace moderated at the end of September.
Spot Bitcoin ETFs hold Bitcoin directly and allow investors to gain exposure through exchange-traded shares rather than purchasing and storing the cryptocurrency themselves. Net inflows indicate that more money entered the funds than left them during the period.
September streak ends with outflows
The stronger monthly performance lost momentum in the final days of September. Bitcoin ETFs registered roughly $149 million in net outflows on Wednesday, ending a nine-day run of inflows that had brought in about $3.1 billion.
The quarterly price gain was Bitcoin’s best since the fourth quarter of 2024, while its 42.71% advance was its strongest performance for a third quarter since 2017, based on CoinGlass data. The figures underline how the asset’s market performance and ETF flows moved sharply higher after the weaker second quarter.
Ether and other crypto funds also see demand
US spot Ether ETFs attracted approximately $3.05 billion during Q3. That reversed about $714 million in net outflows during Q2, while Ether’s price rose around 71% over the quarter.
Other crypto-related funds also recorded positive flows. XRP ETFs brought in $308 million during Q3, taking their cumulative net inflows to $1.79 billion. Solana ETFs recorded $272 million in September inflows, while Zcash ETFs attracted $246 million during the same month.
Current market picture
Moneyiar market data recorded Bitcoin at $83,631.050673771 at 09:13 on October 1, 2026, up 0.49% over 24 hours and 0.18% over seven days. At 09:14, NEAR Protocol was $5.2430299368, up 2.9% in 24 hours and 25.13% over seven days; OriginTrail was $0.4778198394, up 13.28% and 32.78%, respectively; and Four was $0.2884016435, down 0.68% over 24 hours and 1% over seven days.
