> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.spotedcrypto.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Bitcoin ETFs Nearly Doubled March's Inflows Despite Fear at 31
- URL: https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-26-2026/
- Published: 2026-04-25T23:25:28.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-31T04:35:52.000Z
- Description: The Fear & Greed Index crashed 8 points overnight to 31, yet Bitcoin spot ETFs extended their inflow streak to 8 consecutive days with $2.43B accumulated in April — nearly double March's total. AXS surged 43%, KAT crashed 38%, and DeFi TVL sits at $85B post-KelpDAO.
- Author: Sungjae Lee
- Tags: ETFs, News, English, Bitcoin ETF, Derivatives, #Import 2026-11-04 03:14

**The Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged 8 points overnight to 31 — yet institutional capital keeps flowing into Bitcoin without hesitation. Spot Bitcoin ETFs extended their inflow streak to 8 consecutive days on April 25, pushing April's cumulative total to $2.43 billion. On Binance, AXS exploded 43.5% to lead the session while KAT cratered 38%. DeFi TVL remains near $85 billion following the $292M KelpDAO hack. Here is everything that moved markets on Sunday, April 26, 2026.**

## Key Market Metrics — April 26, 2026 (08:00 KST)

**Quick Answer:** On April 26, the Fear & Greed Index fell to 31 (Fear) — down 8 points overnight — while Bitcoin spot ETFs extended an 8-day inflow streak totaling $2.43B in April, nearly double March's $1.32B. Institutional demand is holding firm even as retail sentiment deteriorates sharply.

| Metric                | Value                                      |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Total Market Cap      | $2.67T                                     |
| BTC Dominance         | 58.1%                                      |
| ETH Dominance         | 10.5%                                      |
| Fear & Greed Index    | 31/100 (Fear, -8 vs yesterday)             |
| BTC Price (Binance)   | $77,563 (+0.28%)                           |
| ETH Price (Binance)   | $2,318 (+0.25%)                            |
| 24h Liquidations      | $185.21M (Longs $130.38M / Shorts $54.82M) |
| April BTC ETF Inflows | $2.43B (8-day streak)                      |
| DeFi TVL              | \~$85B (post-KelpDAO hack)                 |

Bitcoin holds at $77,563 on Binance — roughly 38% below its October 6, 2025 all-time high of $126,198 — while BTC dominance at 58.1% reflects continued capital concentration in Bitcoin over altcoins.

## Bitcoin ETFs: 8 Consecutive Days of Inflows, $2.43 Billion in April

Retreating sentiment has not deterred institutional flows. The 8-day consecutive Bitcoin spot ETF inflow streak pushed April's cumulative total to **$2.43 billion** — an 84% increase over March's $1.32 billion — according to Bloomberg data compiled by CryptBull (April 25, 2026).

BlackRock IBIT led the charge with **$246.9 million in single-day inflows on April 22**. The fund now custodies **806,700 BTC — 3.8% of Bitcoin's total circulating supply** — and has accumulated $3 billion in year-to-date net inflows, placing it in the top 1% of all ETFs globally. Bloomberg Intelligence's senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas put it plainly: *"Every single rolling period we track is now positive, haven't seen that in months. IBIT's $3B is in the top 1% of all ETFs."*

For context, the current 8-day streak ($2.43B) runs approximately 54% smaller in absolute dollar terms than the benchmark September–October 2025 9-day streak ($5.33B), suggesting measured institutional re-entry rather than a full breakout push. Total lifetime net inflows across all US Bitcoin spot ETFs now stand at $58.33 billion — roughly $4.5 billion short of the all-time record.

Japan's Metaplanet reinforced the corporate accumulation narrative on April 24, issuing **¥8 billion (\~$50 million) in zero-interest bonds** — its 20th series — with proceeds entirely earmarked for Bitcoin purchases. The firm now holds **40,177 BTC**, the largest corporate Bitcoin treasury in Japan and third globally, targeting 100,000 BTC by end-2026 and 210,000 BTC by end-2027\. (Source: CoinDesk, April 24, 2026)

For more on the institutional accumulation backdrop, see our [April 24 Market Pulse](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-24-2026/) and our [Top 5 Crypto Picks for April 2026](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/top-5-crypto-picks-april-2026/).

## Binance & OKX Volume Leaders — April 26

As of 08:00 KST, Binance's top-volume asset is USDC ($521.8M), followed by BTC ($430.9M) and ETH ($157.1M). The standout mover is **AXS, up 43.5% to $1.61** on $85M in volume — confirmed on OKX where AXS gained 42.2% with $21.6M in volume. On the losing side, KAT collapsed 38.1% to $0.016, APE shed 10.1%, and CHIP fell 16.3%.

| #  | Coin      | Price   | 24h Change | Volume(24h) | High       | Low        |
| -- | --------- | ------- | ---------- | ----------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| 1  | **USDC**  | $1.00   | +0.00%     | $521.8M     | $1.00      | $1.00      |
| 2  | **BTC**   | $77,563 | +0.28%     | $430.9M     | $77,885.35 | $77,140.23 |
| 3  | **ETH**   | $2,318  | +0.25%     | $157.1M     | $2,323.21  | $2,300.55  |
| 4  | **SOL**   | $86     | \-0.08%    | $89.2M      | $86.80     | $85.53     |
| 5  | **AXS**   | $1.61   | +43.51%    | $85.0M      | $1.78      | $1.12      |
| 6  | **TRUMP** | $2.55   | \-11.03%   | $72.3M      | $2.98      | $2.46      |
| 7  | **USD1**  | $1.00   | +0.00%     | $71.4M      | $1.00      | $1.00      |
| 8  | **KAT**   | $0.02   | \-38.09%   | $56.8M      | $0.03      | $0.02      |
| 9  | **APE**   | $0.16   | \-10.07%   | $56.0M      | $0.22      | $0.15      |
| 10 | **CHIP**  | $0.07   | \-16.26%   | $52.2M      | $0.09      | $0.07      |

On OKX, BTC traded at $77,560 (+0.19%) with $237M in 24h volume, and ETH fetched $2,318 (+0.14%) on $67M. TRUMP ranked third on OKX by volume at $32.4M, confirming broad selling pressure across exchanges. Notably, API3 appeared in OKX's top 10 with a +1.67% gain on $12.6M in volume — the same token that topped Upbit's Korean volume chart on Sunday morning, signaling coordinated Asian trader attention.

## Derivatives Snapshot: BTC Shorts Dominate, Altcoin Longs Stretched

Binance futures data as of April 26 reveals a stark divergence between Bitcoin and major altcoin positioning.

| Coin     | Funding Rate | Open Interest | Long/Short    |
| -------- | ------------ | ------------- | ------------- |
| **ADA**  | 0.0088%      | $82.9M        | N/A           |
| **AVAX** | 0.0072%      | $83.3M        | N/A           |
| **BNB**  | 0.0000%      | $344.5M       | N/A           |
| **BTC**  | \-0.0057%    | $7.4B         | 44.6% / 55.4% |
| **DOGE** | 0.0074%      | $305.9M       | 70.0% / 30.0% |
| **DOT**  | 0.0024%      | $41.6M        | N/A           |
| **ETH**  | \-0.0044%    | $4.7B         | 67.2% / 32.8% |
| **LINK** | 0.0067%      | $84.5M        | N/A           |
| **SOL**  | \-0.0056%    | $787.9M       | 70.4% / 29.6% |
| **XRP**  | \-0.0036%    | $365.8M       | 69.5% / 30.5% |

BTC's funding rate sits at **\-0.0057%**, meaning short sellers are paying longs — a crowded bearish bet backed by $7.4B in open interest, with 55.4% of perpetual positions short. Contrast this with ETH (67.2% long, $4.7B OI), SOL (70.4% long, $788M OI), and XRP (69.5% long, $366M OI): altcoin traders are overwhelmingly long on near-zero or positive funding. The Binance Research derivatives team captured the tension: *"The structural tension between short-dominated BTC positioning and long-heavy altcoin exposure typically resolves with a sharp directional move."* A BTC short squeeze or an altcoin liquidation cascade both remain live scenarios heading into next week.

## Liquidations Drop 69% — Deleveraging Exhaustion in View

Total 24-hour liquidations on April 24 came in at **$185.21 million**, down 69% from $595 million on April 8 at the correction's peak. Long liquidations ($130.38M) still outpaced shorts ($54.82M), confirming residual over-extended long exposure — but the dramatic reduction in forced selling volume indicates deleveraging is nearing exhaustion.

Historically, a rapid decline in liquidation volume has preceded accumulation phases. The April–May 2025 fear period (Fear & Greed: 28–35) resolved with Bitcoin's 70%+ rally to the $126,198 ATH by October 2025\. The current setup is structurally comparable, though broader macro uncertainty adds a layer of caution. See our [April 24 market brief](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-24-2026/) for the complete liquidation timeline leading into today's session.

## KelpDAO Hack Aftermath: DeFi TVL Falls to $85 Billion

The $292 million KelpDAO exploit on April 20 continues to reverberate through decentralized finance. Total Value Locked across DeFi protocols sits at approximately **$85 billion** — a $14 billion two-day exodus — with Aave alone absorbing roughly **$10 billion in deposit outflows**. The figure is \~50% below DeFi's October 2025 peak, though still well above the 2022 DeFi winter floor near $40 billion.

Anchorage Digital analyst David Shuttleworth stated plainly: *"There's a tremendous risk-reward imbalance in DeFi."* Wintermute analyst Jasper De Maere offered a more constructive read: *"The fact that prices have not fully retraced despite new tensions suggests some genuine demand."*

All eyes are now on the **SEC CLARITY Act Roundtable on May 3**, which is expected to address DeFi regulatory frameworks and could prove a near-term catalyst in either direction for TVL recovery. Follow our [ongoing market coverage](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-24-2026/) for updates as the roundtable approaches.

## TRUMP Coin Drops 11% — Meme Token Volatility on Full Display

OFFICIAL TRUMP shed **11.03% on Binance to $2.55** and 11.46% on OKX to the same level, generating over $100M in combined cross-exchange volume — nearly all sell-driven. The token sits approximately **96% below its January 2025 all-time high of $73.43**. In risk-off markets, meme and speculative tokens consistently absorb disproportionate selling pressure, and today's session is a textbook example of that dynamic playing out in real time.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does a Fear & Greed Index reading of 31 mean for Bitcoin investors?

A score of 31 places the market in the Fear zone (0–49 on the 0–100 scale). In the comparable April–May 2025 period, similar readings of 28–35 preceded Bitcoin's 70%+ rally to the $126,198 ATH by October 2025\. That said, fear readings can persist for weeks before reversing, making it difficult to time exact bottoms. Dollar-cost averaging and disciplined position sizing typically outperform lump-sum entries at these sentiment levels. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

### Do 8 consecutive days of Bitcoin ETF inflows mean prices will rise?

Spot ETF inflows require fund managers to purchase actual BTC on the open market, creating genuine supply absorption. The current 8-day, $2.43B streak is a meaningful demand signal. That said, ETF flows do not correlate 1:1 with short-term price movements — macro conditions, leveraged derivatives positioning, and broader market liquidity all interact simultaneously. The primary takeaway is that institutional conviction remains intact even as the Fear & Greed Index sits at 31.

*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.*

---

### Related Articles

- [Bitcoin Exchange Reserves Hit 7-Year Low as ETF Inflows Extend to 8 Days — April 25 Crypto Briefing](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/bitcoin-exchange-reserves-7-year-low-etf-inflows-april-25-2026/)
- [Crypto Market Pulse: Fear Index at 46, BIO +7.9% — April 24 Weekly Close](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-24-2026/)
- [Crypto Market Pulse April 23: $1.48B ETF Inflows Collide With Record Whale Selling](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/crypto-market-pulse-april-23-2026/)
- [April 22 Crypto Briefing: Fear Index at 33, BTC Whales Buy 270K in 30 Days](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/april-22-crypto-briefing-btc-whale-accumulation-2026/)
- [Fear Index Holds at 29 as Bitcoin ETFs Cross $56B — Strategy Overtakes BlackRock](https://www.spotedcrypto.com/bitcoin-etf-56b-fear-index-29-april-21/)