Bottom formation
β BTC stops crashing on bad news
β Bad ETF flow days no longer dump price
β Bounces get bought
β Volatility drops
β Twitter turns βdeadβ
Not when fear is loud β itβs when nobody cares.
Base case:
β’ Forced selling ends: Late Feb 2026
β’ Bottoming range: 2β4 weeks
β’ Uptrend resumes: MarchβApril 2026
Price zone: $52kβ$58k
(High-volume support + cost basis + option strikes)
Bottom likely in when:
β ETFs flat β₯5 days
β Funding β€0
β Volatility falling
β Exchange balances down
β DXY/yields stall
If 4+ boxes checked β start scaling in.
Why BTC ETF holders are selling:
Most spot BTC ETF holders are not retail HODLers. They are:
β’ Hedge funds
β’ Multi-asset allocators
β’ Risk-parity / macro funds
β’ Pension/wealth platforms
β’ CTA / trend funds
They treat BTC like a liquidity + volatility asset, not a belief asset.
When macro and portfolio conditions change, they reduce exposure mechanically.
Main drivers right now:
1) Risk-Off + Portfolio Rebalancing
Rising real yields + tighter financial conditions β funds rotate back into:
β’ Treasuries
β’ Money markets
β’ Large-cap equities
BTC is one of the first assets trimmed in risk-off regimes.
So ETF shares get sold as part of routine rebalancing.
βΈ»
2) Basis Trade Unwinds
Many funds bought ETFs while shorting futures (cash-and-carry arbitrage).
When:
β’ Funding rates fall
β’ Futures basis compresses
β’ Volatility spikes
β Trade becomes unprofitable β they exit.
Exit = sell ETF + cover futures β forces redemptions.
This alone can drive billions in outflows.
βΈ»
3) Performance & Drawdown Rules
Institutions have hard rules:
β’ Max drawdown limits
β’ VaR constraints
β’ Stop-loss models
Once BTC breaks key levels, models force selling.
No discretion. Just liquidation.
βΈ»
4) Liquidity Needs Elsewhere
Japan carry unwind + global margin stress = funds need USD liquidity.
Easiest thing to sell:
β Highly liquid ETFs
β Tight spreads
β No custody friction
So BTC ETFs become βATM machinesβ for cash.
βΈ»
5) Tax & Profit-Taking Cycles
After the 2024β25 run:
β’ Many funds locked gains
β’ Rebalanced for year-end / new mandates
β’ Harvested losses/gains
That created rolling sell pressure.
βΈ»
6) Narrative Shift: From βETF Boomβ to βMacro Assetβ
In 2024: βStructural adoption tradeβ
In 2026: βHigh-beta macro assetβ
Once BTC is framed as a risk asset, flows follow macro β not ideology.
βΈ»
ETF holders are selling because:
They are being forced by models, mandates, margin, and macro β not fear.
Itβs institutional plumbing, not panic.
Which is why:
β’ Selling is clustered
β’ Volume spikes
β’ Dumps happen fast
β’ Then suddenly stop
Thatβs how forced flow cycles end.
βΈ»
TLDR:
ETFs are selling β because funds need cash
Funds need cash β because leverage + rates + volatility
So BTC becomes collateral
A balance-sheet reset.