GLD Inflows Jump as IBIT, BTDG See Bitcoin-Driven Exodus

Investors are shifting their alternative asset allocations, pouring billions into gold ETFs while simultaneously withdrawing from bitcoin funds amid growing economic uncertainty.

GLD Gains as Gold Hits Record

Per etf.com's ETF Fund Flows tool, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) attracted $2.8 billion in net inflows over the past month, while bitcoin ETFs saw outflows as investors reassessed risk in response to changing economic conditions.

The data show that GLD has accumulated $3.4 billion in year-to-date net inflows, pushing its assets under management to $87.4 billion. This investor enthusiasm follows gold's strong performance, as the precious metal has gained 5% over the past month and currently trades near record levels above $3,030 per ounce.

The underlying price appreciation has boosted GLD's returns, with the fund delivering a monthly gain of 3.4% and a 15.6% year-to-date increase.

Bitcoin Funds Face Headwinds

Meanwhile, bitcoin-focused exchange-traded funds have moved in the opposite direction. The iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has experienced $1.7 billion in outflows over the past month, despite maintaining positive year-to-date flows of $2 billion, according to the etf.com Fund Flows Tool.

With $48 billion in assets, IBIT remains the largest cryptocurrency ETF but has struggled with performance, posting a monthly loss of 12.5% and a year-to-date decline of 11.8%.

The underlying bitcoin price has shown recent signs of recovery—up around 4% over the past day and 2.8% over the past week—but remains down 11.5% for the month, trading around $84,675 according to CoinMarketCap data.

Tariff concerns, inflation fears, geopolitical tensions and disappointment in President Donald Trump’s planned Strategic Bitcoin Reserve have created conditions driving investors toward gold's perceived stability while dampening appetite for higher-risk digital assets.

Hybrid Approach Shows Resilience

The STKd 100% Bitcoin & 100% Gold ETF (BTDG) presents an alternative for investors seeking exposure to both assets. Though small with just $23.8 million in assets, BTDG has demonstrated better resilience than pure bitcoin exposure, falling 10.7% over the past month compared to IBIT's steeper 12.5% decline.

More tellingly, BTDG has declined by 1.3% year to date, still outperforming IBIT's deeper 11.8% drop over the same period. This performance gap suggests the gold component has partially offset bitcoin's volatility, potentially offering investors a moderate hedge against bitcoin’s more extreme price swings.

Nevertheless, BTDG has not escaped the broader trend of bitcoin-driven outflows, with investors pulling $1.3 million from the fund over the past month despite its relatively stronger performance.

Source: etf.com Comparison Tool

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