Bitcoin’s climb to $28K nudges ETF speculators amid spot exposure hunt

Bitcoin rose above $28,000 amid speculation about the approval of spot ETFs and the long-term trajectory of the market

article-image

Wit Olszewski/Shutterstock modifed by Blockworks

share

Bitcoin snapped off a run over the weekend, driving its price to a one-month high as speculation about crypto-tied ETFs on Monday remained relatively muted.

The asset rose 3.8% to just under $28,000 in Monday’s trade before succumbing to a slight sell-off just below its 200-day moving average. Bitcoin is trading at $27,580, Blockworks data shows.

Futures data shows more than $12 million short liquidation losses took place across OKX and Binance following a rise in the underlying asset’s jump to $28,000. Implied volatility for bitcoin options contracts is hovering at 36.4% while the historical volatility value is roughly 27%, Bitfinex noted in its report on Monday. 

“Historically, a positive September ushers in a bullish October and the volatility as well as the futures market metrics all point towards increased volatility and some upside, at least on the higher time frames,” Bitfinex analysts said.

The month’s positive end preceded a number of ether (ETH) futures ETFs that went live Monday. Yet despite initial optimism, those vehicles performed modestly out of the gate.

On-chain metrics show miners continue to accrue bitcoin. Glassnode data indicates that the seven-day moving average for the flow of bitcoin (BTC) from miners to exchanges has hit a one-month low of 4.251 BTC — a level not seen since the beginning of September.

The amount of supply last active in the last three to five years has also reached a one-month high of more than 2.1 million BTC.

Conversely, ETH’s seven-day moving average for the flow of ETH moving to exchanges cemented its own one-month high above $14.2 million. 

While the debut of ether futures ETFs in the US was fairly uneventful on day one, one analyst predicted the launches could spur further adoption of the digital asset. 

“VanEck’s decision to launch a futures ETF while promising to donate 10% of the ETF’s profits to Ethereum developers embodies the firm’s trust in the asset’s rise into mainstream consciousness,” Jesper Johansen, CEO at Northstake said.

“The move also funds and accelerates the protocol’s development, ultimately making ETH more accessible for institutions and individuals looking to participate in the ecosystem,” he said.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template.png

Research

The march toward an interoperable and onchain-by-default internet depends on reliable messaging and value transfer across heterogeneous domains. Crosschain protocols now process >$1.3T in combined annual transfer volume and secure tens of millions of user interactions, yet no single design dominates.

article-image

The goal, per Santiago Santos, is to make crypto a relatable piece of tech for people who may not even understand it

article-image

Stripe stablecoin unit aims to operate under a federal charter enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody services

by Blockworks /
article-image

Will TradFi make crypto better or create more problems than it solves?

article-image

Subtle decisions by risk curators saved Aave from significant turmoil

article-image

The new Rootstock Institutional unit aims to connect professional investors to Bitcoin-native yield and liquidity strategies anchored in BTC’s security layer

by Blockworks /
article-image

DOJ files record civil forfeiture against more than 127,000 BTC linked to scam activity

by Blockworks /