Why Bitcoin ETFs Look Like They're Falling Short, Even as Their Role Grows

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Why bitcoin ETFs look like they’re falling short, even as their role grows: Asia Morning Briefing Original Link: https://cryptonews.net/news/analytics/32142348/ With just two weeks left in the year and many desks operating with skeleton staff as the Christmas holidays begin, crypto markets are shifting from momentum to scorekeeping. One of the starkest year-end verdicts is coming from prediction markets, where traders now assign only a 2% chance that bitcoin ETFs will beat last year’s inflow record in 2025.

The bet rests on a simple arithmetic problem. Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $33.6B in net inflows during 2024. This year’s tally as of December 15 stands closer to $22.5B, according to on-chain data sources, leaving a gap of roughly $11B with only days of meaningful trading left.

Yet the last week has shown ETF inflows returning even as prices softened and altcoins lagged, suggesting that while the $33.6B target may be out of reach, the structural role of ETFs in absorbing risk is still strengthening as the year closes.