Bitcoin ETF Outflows Hit 4-Week Streak: Are Institutions Expecting Price at $60K?

Alex Ioannou

Thu, February 19, 2026 at 3:16 AM GMT+9 2 min read

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If you have been checking your portfolio lately and feeling a knot in your stomach, you definitely aren’t alone. Bitcoin price has been relentless recently, and unfortunately, the direction has been down.

The latest numbers confirm what many of us feared: Bitcoin ETF outflows have hit a four-week streak, totaling roughly $3.8 billion in exits.

It looks like the big players are stepping back, with prices testing the mid-$60,000s. But does this mean the institutional run is over, or is this just a necessary pit stop before the next leg up? Let’s break down what is actually happening behind the scary red candles.

(Source: Coinglass)

This matters because the $60,000 level is a massive psychological line in the sand. If we lose this support, it could trigger even more selling. However, it is important to remember that markets move in cycles.

While the U.S. seems to be selling, investment products in Germany and Switzerland actually attracted $230 million recently, showing that this isn’t a global panic: it is largely a U.S.-centered shakeout.

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What the Data Actually Shows About the Drop

So, why is everyone selling? According to a recent VanEck Bitcoin analysis, this isn’t a sign that Bitcoin is “broken.” Instead, it is a classic case of Institutional deleveraging.

VanEck notes that futures “open interest” (the total value of active betting contracts) dropped from $61 billion to $49 billion in just a week. That is a massive 20% wipeout of leverage.

(Source: Coinglass)

While the drop feels violent, it is actually “orderly” compared to past crashes. However, the speed was intense. The move was so fast that it registered as a rare statistical event—something analysts call a “tail event.” Currently, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index is at “Extreme Fear” (13/100), a level we typically see only near market bottoms.

Essentially, the “tourists” who borrowed too much money to bet on Bitcoin price are being washed out, leaving only the long-term holders called HODLers.

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Read original story Bitcoin ETF Outflows Hit 4-Week Streak: Are Institutions Expecting Price at $60K? by Alex Ioannou at 99bitcoins.com

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