BlackRock's bitcoin ETF loses $13.5 million in first outflows since May

The spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) from BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, saw net outflows of $13.5 million on August 29, representing its first significant losses in four months, according to Cointelegraph . The last time that the ETF saw this much loss was in May.

This is the second time BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has registered outflows this year. The outflows come as a surprise for the massively popular fund that retail traders have flocked to for its ability to provide exposure to bitcoin. The last time IBIT logged outflows was in May, when it accumulated net losses of $36.9 million .

Rival funds from Fidelity, Bitwise, Grayscale, and others also logged outflows on August 29, collectively recording losses of $71.8 million. The performance of the 11 funds, which were approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this past January, has not worried market analysts amid a wider drop in bitcoin’s price this summer. The price of bitcoin is currently trading at approximately $59,000.

BlackRock's losses this week were overshadowed by those from Fidelity and Grayscale, which saw more than $53 million in losses. On August 29, the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund saw $31.1 million in net losses on August 29, while the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) saw net losses of more than $22 million. The only fund to receive inflows on August 29 was ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, which recorded $5.3 million in net inflows.

Outflows have also plagued spot ether ETFs, which began trading on the market this July. On August 29, ether ETFs collectively recorded $1.7 million in losses.