BlackRock Sweeps $648M as Bitcoin ETFs Post Record Inflows; Pakistan Pivots to Trump’s Stablecoin
Institutions bought the dip with $840M in ETF inflows while Pakistan signed a historic stablecoin deal with the Trump-linked World Liberty Financial.
Retail traders are fleeing, but the giants are feasting. While Bitcoin struggled to hold $96,400 (-1.5%) amidst a wave of retail pessimism, U.S. Spot ETFs quietly absorbed a staggering $840.6 million in a single session. The highest collective inflow since last October.
Data from Farside Investors confirms the institutional appetite is ravenous. BlackRock’s IBIT alone commanded $648.4 million of the daily volume, effectively erasing the sell-side pressure from nervous retail hands. Fidelity’s FBTC added another $125.4 million, signaling that while the crowd fears a double-top, Wall Street is positioning for the next leg up.
The “Smart Money” Divergence
The on-chain reality reveals a stark bifurcation. Santiment data indicates retail sentiment has plunged to bearish lows not seen since November 2025, a classic contrarian signal. Yet, the flow data tells a different story: liquidity is moving from weak hands to regulated custodians at an accelerating pace.
The gap between institutional flows and retail sentiment is widening. While social media screams ‘sell’, BlackRock just bought the dip with half a billion dollars.
Geopolitics: Pakistan Bets on Trump’s Stablecoin
Beyond the ETF flows, a major geopolitical shift occurred overnight. The Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Liberty Financial, the crypto protocol linked to the Trump family.
As reported by Reuters, the agreement explores integrating the USD1 stablecoin into Pakistan’s regulated cross-border payment architecture. This marks the first sovereign tie-up for the project and a potential lifeline for Pakistan’s remittance-heavy economy ($28B annual inflows). The move suggests a growing trend of nation-states bypassing traditional banking rails in favor of politically aligned stablecoin infrastructure.
Market Outlook
Bitcoin remains pinned near $96,400, but the supply shock from yesterday’s ETF sweep has yet to materialize in price action. With Open Interest resetting (-30% from peaks) and funding rates neutralizing, the leverage flush appears complete. All eyes now turn to the weekend liquidity to see if the $98,000 resistance wall crumbles under the weight of BlackRock’s new stack.
