Crypto News: BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Hits $10B Volume Record as Heavy Selling Signals Institutional Capitulation

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund recorded its highest trading volume on record on Thursday, underscoring signs of intensified institutional selling as Bitcoin slid toward the $60,000 level.According to Nasdaq data, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) saw more than 284 million shares traded, representing over $10 billion in notional value. The figure surpassed its previous volume record of 169.2 million shares set in November by roughly 69%.The surge in activity coincided with a sharp price decline. IBIT fell 13% on the day to below $35, its lowest level since October 2024, extending its year-to-date loss to 27%. The fund peaked near $71.82 in early October.Redemptions accelerate amid market stressIBIT also accounted for a significant share of ETF outflows. The fund saw $175.3 million in redemptions on Thursday, representing about 40% of the $434.1 million in net outflows across spot Bitcoin ETFs, according to data from SoSoValue.As the world’s largest publicly listed Bitcoin fund, IBIT holds physical Bitcoin and is designed to closely track spot prices. The product has served as a primary access point for institutions seeking regulated exposure to Bitcoin, which fell sharply during the session.Options market reflects peak fearDerivatives activity reinforced the bearish signal. IBIT options saw a pronounced skew toward downside protection, with longer-dated put options trading at a premium of more than 25 volatility points above call options, according to MarketChameleon.Such an extreme put bias is often associated with capitulation, a phase in which investors exit positions aggressively amid heightened fear and deteriorating sentiment.Market implicationsThe combination of record trading volume, accelerating redemptions, and defensive positioning in options markets suggests institutional investors may be entering the most intense selling phase of the current downturn. While capitulation can sometimes precede market stabilization, analysts caution that bear markets can persist longer than expected, even after peak fear emerges.