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XRP ETFs Beat BTC, ETH, and SOL Funds — Yet Ripple’s Price Still Struggles

Overview: What happened to crypto ETFs?

In times of uncertainty and big global news, investors often change how they move money in and out of investments. One type of investment that has drawn attention lately is the spot crypto exchange‑traded fund (ETF). An ETF is a basket of assets that trades on an exchange like a stock. A spot ETF tracks the current price of a cryptocurrency rather than futures or other products. The latest data show a mixed picture: funds tied to Bitcoin (the largest cryptocurrency) have generally seen money leave them, while ETFs tied to XRP have attracted new money. This latest scene is a reminder that investors react differently to different crypto products even in a stressful time for the market.

Bitcoin ETFs: withdrawals outpacing inflows

Data from SoSoValue, a data provider that tracks crypto ETFs, show that spot Bitcoin ETFs have mostly been in the red for several weeks. There was a bright spot on February 2, when more than $560 million flowed into these funds. But that was an exception. In the week before, investors pulled more than $1.4 billion from Bitcoin ETFs. February 3 also saw selling, with about $272 million taken out.

Because Bitcoin went through a price drop, the value inside these ETFs rose or fell depending on the price. In practical terms, ETF holders may have a cost basis that is higher than today’s price. Cost basis is a simple idea: it is the average price at which the ETF bought the assets. If the market price falls below that average, the ETF is showing a paper loss for the investors. A notable note from the data was that Bitcoin’s ETF cost basis reached $82,600, a level that had not been breached in 18 months. This means the average price at which the ETF bought Bitcoin was around $82,600 per BTC, and the current price had dropped below that for the first time in a long period.

There was a tweet from Ali Charts on February 4, 2026 that highlighted this cost-basis situation. It read that Bitcoin was trading below the ETF cost basis at $82,600, which helps explain why the ETF figures show pressure even when the price moves.

The key takeaway for Bitcoin ETF investors is simple: when the price is falling, it can push the ETF’s value down, and inflows can be choppy. This pattern has been seen in recent weeks as sentiment shifts with news and broader market moves.

Other crypto ETFs: Ethereum, Solana, and XRP

While Bitcoin ETFs faced withdrawals, other major crypto ETFs did not follow the same path. The market for altcoins—cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin—had some inflows. Specifically:

In total, the XRP ETFs posted more daily inflows than all other crypto funds combined on that day. This was the best single-day inflow for XRP ETFs since January 5, when inflows reached roughly $46.10 million. Cumulatively, investors have put about $1.20 billion into Ripple funds. This level is still just below the peak of about $1.26 billion reached before the market drop on January 29.

To put these numbers in context, the XRP ETFs’ strong single‑day performance shows that investors can suddenly choose XRP even when they are pulling money from Bitcoin ETFs. It also suggests that traders see different opportunities in XRP, possibly due to its own price moves and broader market dynamics.

XRP’s price and market moves

The market for cryptocurrencies continued to be volatile. The day described had big price swings, possibly influenced by several big stories at once. Bitcoin briefly fell to a yearly low around $73,000, then recovered to trade above $76,000 as of the latest update. These moves show how quickly sentiment can change in crypto markets, especially when there is news about geopolitics or government actions.

Ripple’s XRP also moved a lot. On the same day, XRP traded as low as about $1.53, then climbed to around $1.63, and later settled near $1.60. That means XRP was down roughly 17% over the last week and about 25% over the last 30 days. Investors have seen XRP bounce around since its price peak earlier in January. The highest price in early January was about $2.40, but XRP failed to hold that level and has not yet shown a sustainable recovery since then.

Market observers note that price movement and ETF inflows don’t always move together in a simple way. A big inflow into XRP ETFs might reflect new buyers who want to own XRP through an ETF, but the price of XRP itself can be influenced by many other factors, including use in payments, technical developments, and overall market risk appetite.

What does this mean for different investors?

When people invest in spot crypto ETFs, they are buying shares that track the current price of a cryptocurrency. They do not own the actual coins directly, but they own a claim to the coins’ price movements. The differing flows between Bitcoin ETFs and XRP ETFs show that investors are looking for different things. Some want to avoid the volatility of Bitcoin, while others see more interest in XRP’s potential or in the diversification that XRP ETFs offer within a broader crypto portfolio.

For new or smaller investors, the story is a reminder to read the fine print. ETFs have management teams, fees, and how they track the underlying asset. The performance of an ETF depends on how well the ETF manages the fund, how it buys and holds the coins, and how trading happens on the exchange. If you are learning about crypto ETFs, start with small investments and learn how price movements in the real market relate to what you see in the ETF.

Key concepts explained in simple terms

Here are a few important ideas mentioned in the report, explained in plain language:

Why these numbers matter

Market numbers like inflows and outflows matter because they can indicate where investors are putting money and how they feel about different coins. A big inflow into XRP ETFs might suggest traders are confident that XRP could do well, or that they want to diversify away from Bitcoin alone. A large outflow from Bitcoin ETFs can show worry about Bitcoin’s price or a shift toward other assets. While one day of data does not tell the whole story, many days of similar data can reveal trends about investor sentiment and risk appetite—the willingness to take on risk in exchange for the possibility of reward.

Bottom line

The latest data show a mixed picture: XRP ETFs attracted a solid amount of money, outpacing inflows to other big crypto ETFs on that day. Bitcoin ETFs saw notable withdrawals and are trading in a way that reflects recent price movement and the broader uncertainty in the market. Ethereum and Solana ETFs had smaller inflows, showing that interest is not uniform across all coins. XRP, even with strong ETF demand, also faced a tough price ride, with the token trading well below its January peak. This contrast—strong ETF inflows for XRP and a weaker price for Ripple—highlights how investors balance different factors: the relative safety of a fund, expectations for price movement, and the latest news and global events that can push markets up or down.

Glossary: Key terms and their meanings

Sources for the inflation and price movements come from market data reported in articles about spot crypto ETFs and XRP funds. The discussion reflects a mix of fund flow data, price levels, and how investors react to global events. For readers who want to learn more, these Wikipedia pages linked above provide easy explanations of the terms and technologies involved in today’s crypto markets.