Crypto hits $4 billion: Bitcoin and Ethereum ahead

Crypto inflows experienced a record-breaking surge last week, reaching an impressive $3.85 billion. Positive inflows into digital asset investment products surpassed the previous record set a few weeks ago.

This massive undertaking has resulted in year-to-date (YTD) inflows of around $41 billion.

Bitcoin leads the charge as Crypto inflows hit $4 billion.

Bitcoin (BTC) led the charge with $2.5 billion in inflows last week. This brings the YTD total to an astounding $36.5 billion. Continued bullish momentum will see investors profit further, with some analysts seeing $100,000 as an achievable target for this cycle.

Short Bitcoin products entered $6.2 million, a trend historically observed after price increases. According to James Butterfill's latest CoinShares report, this has highlighted the feeling of cautious investors, with many hesitating to bet on the current strength of Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, Ethereum made headlines with its highest weekly revenue on record, totaling $1.2 billion. This is more than the excitement around the launch of Ethereum ETFs (exchange-traded funds) in July. Significant revenue streams demonstrate growing confidence in Ethereum's long-term potential, especially as the blockchain strengthens its role in the decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT (Non-Fungible Token) ecosystems.

However, Ethereum's success appears to be coming at the expense of competitors like Solana (SOL), which saw $14 million in outflows last week. This marks Solana's second consecutive week of declines, as investor sentiment shifts away from the altcoin.

Institutional players like BlackRock, which recently delayed plans for altcoin ETFs, have further bolstered the market's choice, choosing instead to prioritize products focused on bitcoin and ethereum. The record-breaking inflows reflect broader institutional interest in digital assets.

Firms such as MicroStrategy and BlackRock have been at the forefront of this movement. For the latter, its Bitcoin spot ETF offering continues to serve as a major catalyst for market optimism.

With Bitcoin and Ethereum accounting for the lion's share of revenue streams, questions remain about the future of altcoins in an increasingly competitive market. The outflow from Solana could signal broader challenges for smaller blockchain ecosystems, especially as institutional money gravitates toward the market's giants.

Investor Sentiment: Profits and Strategies

Elsewhere, a recent study by ReviewExchanges shed light on how Bitcoin's rise to $100,000 has affected US crypto investors. A survey of 719 investors revealed mixed feelings, strategies and expectations.

A significant 48% of respondents said they missed out on major gains during the Bitcoin bull run and regretted not acting earlier. Another 31% believed it was still not too late to invest. Meanwhile, only 15% reported that they successfully invested time to achieve their financial goals, 6% stated that they were not interested in Bitcoin during its storm.

The survey found that 83 percent of investors made less than $10,000 from the bull run, and only 2 percent made more than $1 million. This reflects the rarity of significant gains and emphasizes the importance of timing and strategy.

The survey found that 72% of participants see cryptocurrency as a great future investment. While 43% expressed confidence in the market, 29% were cautiously optimistic due to inherent risks. Meanwhile, 7% reported low self-confidence, reflecting concerns about volatility.

The majority of respondents, 67%, indicated they were holding their assets for long-term gains, while 18% were diversifying their portfolios. Only 10% chose to cash out entirely, and 5% reinvested profits into altcoins, reflecting interest in blockchain innovation beyond Bitcoin.