Wintermute: BTC ETF Records First Net Outflow Since June as Market Awaits Fed Rate Decision
In a write-up by Wintermute OTC trader @Jjay_dm, BTC ETFs recorded a net outflow of $463 million for the week ending September 14, marking the first negative reading since June's lows. ARK and Grayscale alone accounted for combined outflows of $371 million, while BlackRock remained flat. As a result, BTC fell 4.4% for the week to close at $76,838, making it the worst-performing asset, while Ethereum dipped 1.5% and altcoins collectively gained 1.0%.
On the macro front, the US August CPI came in at 0.4% month-on-month (core 0.3%), exceeding the expected 0.2%, while the PPI annual rate hit 5.4%, prompting Goldman Sachs to upgrade its September rate outlook from "hold steady" to "increase." The market has now priced in an 87% probability of a 25-basis-point hike on Wednesday. Meanwhile, ongoing escalation in Middle East tensions pushed Brent crude past $105/barrel, and the 10-year US Treasury yield reached a 20-year high.
Wintermute stated that following the shift to negative ETF flows, it favors a neutral over a bullish market stance. Two key catalysts this week: ① On Tuesday, the US Senate will hold a procedural vote on the CLARITY Act (Crypto Market Structure Act), which requires 60 votes to pass; ② On Wednesday, the Fed will announce its interest rate decision. While the rate hike itself is already fully priced in, subsequent hawkish commentary (particularly any signals pointing to continued tightening into Q1 2027) could exert downward pressure on the crypto market.