Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded $857.9 million in net inflows for the week ending May 9, marking a sixth consecutive week of positive flows and the strongest weekly total since late April, according to CoinShares, with the institutional buying surge driven by improving regulatory sentiment around the proposed Digital Asset Market Clarity Act and Bitcoin breaking above the $80,000 level for the first time since February. The sustained inflow streak, which has now extended to the longest positive run since August 2025, signals a structural shift in how traditional financial institutions are approaching Bitcoin exposure after months of hesitation.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF led all providers with $733 million in weekly net inflows, according to CoinShares data, followed by ARK 21Shares at $52 million and Bitwise at $41 million. Morgan Stanley’s recently launched MSBT Bitcoin ETF drew $194 million in cumulative inflows since its debut, attracted by its 0.14% sponsor fee, the lowest in the complex, and has recorded zero outflow days across more than 30 trading sessions. The diversity of inflows across issuers confirms this is broad-based institutional demand rather than a concentration play in a single product.
The legislative backdrop has been the primary driver. The Senate Banking Committee has scheduled a markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act for Thursday, May 14, a procedural milestone that could establish the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework covering digital asset classifications, custody rules, and jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and CFTC. CoinShares head of research James Butterfill attributed the week’s inflow acceleration directly to the act’s progress, specifically pointing to a stablecoin yield compromise released by Senators Tillis and Alsobrooks on May 1 that resolved the central legislative sticking point that had stalled the bill for most of 2025 and early 2026.
Bitcoin itself traded between $80,500 and $82,458 during the week, a range that represents a meaningful recovery from the roughly $66,000 level at which it traded in early April. Prediction market Polymarket placed the probability of the CLARITY Act becoming law in 2026 at 75%, a figure that has risen steadily as the stablecoin compromise demonstrated durability against banking industry pushback. A base case scenario in which the act passes by August 2026 projects between $15 billion and $25 billion in inflows into new ETF products over the following twelve months, according to market analysis from CCN.
Spot Ethereum ETFs also recorded net inflows of $168 million for the week alongside positive flows into altcoin ETFs tracking XRP, Solana, Dogecoin, and Chainlink, reflecting the broad-based nature of the risk appetite recovery. The total crypto investment product inflow of $857.9 million represents one of the strongest weekly totals since the products launched in early 2024.
Jerome Powell’s term as Federal Reserve chair ends on May 15, the day after the CLARITY Act markup. Kevin Warsh’s expected confirmation this week as his successor adds a monetary policy transition variable to an already eventful crypto calendar. Markets will be watching whether Warsh signals any openness to rate cuts that could provide additional macro tailwind for risk assets including Bitcoin at a moment when the ETF inflow momentum is already running at its strongest pace in months.
