Bitcoin News Today: Crypto Market Slides 2.8% as Top 100 Coins Drop and ETF Flows Shift

The cryptocurrency market experienced a broad downturn on August 18, 2025, with 96 of the top 100 coins trading lower in the past 24 hours. The overall market capitalization dropped by 2.8%, falling below the $4 trillion mark to settle at $3.97 trillion, while total trading volume stood at $141 billion [1]. Bitcoin (BTC) fell 2.4% to $115,412, and Ethereum (ETH) declined 4.8% to $4,256. Solana (SOL) recorded the largest decline in the top 10, with a 5.7% drop to $181.41. In contrast, Monero (XMR) and Provenance Blockchain (HASH) were among the few positive performers, rising 4.6% and 3.8%, respectively [1].

The performance of the US Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs also played a significant role in shaping market sentiment. BTC spot ETFs ended a two-week outflow streak with 3,400 BTC in inflows, but analysts caution that “today’s flows will be key in gauging whether institutions sustain demand or shift back to profit-taking” [1]. Similarly, ETH spot ETFs recorded 649,000 ETH in inflows last week, the highest on record, but saw a $59.34 million outflow on Friday, breaking their eight-day inflow streak [1]. BlackRock was the only fund to see inflows for both BTC and ETH ETFs, while Grayscale and Ark&21Shares recorded significant outflows [1].

Glassnode analysts noted that Ethereum’s latest rally has stalled at the $4,700 level, a resistance point last seen in March 2024, which has historically acted as a point of overheated conditions and selling pressure [1]. This suggests that the market may be entering a phase of consolidation.

Meanwhile, Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz expressed concerns about a potential $1 million Bitcoin price, arguing that such a scenario would reflect a US economic collapse rather than a sign of crypto’s success. “I’d rather have a lower Bitcoin price in a more stable United States than the opposite,” he stated [1]. This perspective adds to the growing caution among investors, who are closely watching for signals on the market’s next direction.

Institutional demand and investor sentiment are further influenced by recent developments in corporate Bitcoin adoption. Metaplanet added 775 BTC to its reserves, raising its total holdings to 18,888 BTC [1]. Analysts suggest that such moves could inspire other Asian corporations to consider Bitcoin as part of their treasury strategies, especially as regulatory clarity continues to improve.

On the technical front, Bitcoin’s price has fluctuated within a tight range over the past day, with a high of $118,514 and a low of $115,133. Over the past week, BTC is down 5.4%, and ETH has dropped 0.9%. Despite the short-term pullback, both assets remain in long-term uptrends, with BTC up 94% and ETH up 64% over the past year [1].

Crypto market sentiment, as measured by the fear and greed index, remains neutral at 56, with a slight decline over the past three days. Investors continue to approach the market with caution, awaiting signals that could determine the near-term direction of prices [1]. The broader stock market also showed mixed performance, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 declining slightly while the Dow Jones edged higher [1].

In summary, the crypto market is currently navigating a period of consolidation, driven by institutional ETF flows, regulatory developments, and macroeconomic uncertainties. The performance of Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with the actions of ETF providers and corporate investors, will likely play a pivotal role in determining the market’s next move in the coming weeks.

Source: [1] Why Is Crypto Down Today? – August 18, 2025 (https://cryptonews.com/news/why-is-crypto-down-today-august-18-2025/)