Key Points
No Bitcoin ETF has sold BTC in August 2026, per Arkham on-chain tracking BlackRock bought $111M in BTC on August 3, Fidelity added $33M, Franklin Templeton added $9M Franklin Templeton's purchase was its first BTC buy in more than 30 days Seven-day net ETF flow stands at plus 1,241 BTC, equivalent to roughly $79.4M Ethereum ETFs diverged, recording $12.3M in single-day outflows and $30.4M over seven days
Spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs have recorded zero days of net outflows in August 2026.
On Aug. 3, BlackRock bought $111 million in BTC through its IBIT fund, Fidelity added $33 million, and Franklin Templeton purchased $9 million. The August run extends an inflow streak without a single day of net selling across the ETF cohort.
Arkham Intelligence shared the on-chain data on Aug. 4, tracking ETF wallet activity in real time.
Lookonchain confirmed the single-day net figure at plus 1,600 BTC, worth approximately $102.3 million, with seven-day net flow at plus 1,241 BTC.
Franklin Templeton's Return After 30 Days
Franklin Templeton's Aug. 3 purchase drew specific attention from Arkham. The asset manager had not bought BTC through its ETF in more than 30 days before this transaction. Arkham noted the return in a separate post and linked its on-chain entity tracker.
The 30-day gap does not indicate the fund sold Bitcoin during that period. Franklin Templeton held its existing position through July's drawdown. The new purchase adds to those holdings and confirms active capital deployment is resuming.
Franklin Templeton manages the EZBC spot Bitcoin ETF. Its entry back into accumulation alongside BlackRock and Fidelity on the same day marks the broadest single-session ETF participation in August so far.
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Ethereum ETFs Diverge
Ethereum (ETH) ETFs moved in the opposite direction. Single-day net flow on August 3 was minus 6,558 ETH, equivalent to minus $12.3 million. The seven-day figure stands at minus 16,270 ETH, or minus $30.4 million, according to Lookonchain data.
The divergence between Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF flows is notable. Bitcoin ETFs have absorbed what appears to be tactical re-entry after July's volatile period. Ethereum ETFs are still experiencing net selling across the same window. Italy's largest bank Intesa Sanpaolo added a separate dimension earlier this week.
The institution cut its BlackRock IBIT holdings by 94% in the second quarter while tripling its Ethereum ETF position, according to a report by Hupzy. That rotation may contribute to Ethereum ETF pressure on the net flow figures, as Intesa Sanpaolo's reduced IBIT position reduced institutional buying demand for the Bitcoin fund specifically.
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Market Sentiment Backdrop
Bitcoin's price action sits against a backdrop of deeply negative retail sentiment. Santiment data shows the positive-to-negative commentary ratio for BTC fell to 0.54 since July 31, meaning bearish comments nearly doubled bullish ones across X, Reddit, and Telegram.
That reading represents historically deep fear, according to Santiment's published chart.
Historically, extreme negative sentiment readings have preceded recoveries in prior Bitcoin market cycles. Institutional ETF flows running positive against peak retail pessimism is a combination that market observers have pointed to in prior cycle context.
Bitcoin on-chain activity also spiked over the past seven days. Santiment tracked 712,000 active BTC addresses, the highest in three months, and 61,800 whale transactions above $100,000 over seven days, a five-month high.
The Coldcard hardware wallet exploit that began July 30 is cited as one catalyst, driving dormant address movement as affected holders secured funds.
Whale Alert flagged a single transfer of 6,196 BTC, worth approximately $397 million, from one unknown wallet to another on August 4.
A separate 2,241 BTC moved to Coinbase Institutional the same day. Those transfers suggest large holders remain active in repositioning.
What To Watch
The ETF inflow streak into August is constructive for near-term Bitcoin price structure. The key variable is whether Franklin Templeton and other funds that paused buying through July continue to add in early August.
A reversal to outflows from any of the three major funds would change the narrative quickly.
Ethereum ETF redemption pressure is worth watching separately. If Intesa Sanpaolo's institutional rotation from Bitcoin to Ethereum ETFs is a broader pattern, it could create structural divergence between the two asset ETF flows for the remainder of the quarter.
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