Bitcoin has opened October on firmer ground than its historical pattern would suggest, and U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds have reinforced that stronger start, pulling in $241.09 million over the week ending Oct. 2. The combination of steadier early-month price action and continued institutional demand marks a departure from how October has typically begun for the leading cryptocurrency.

CryptoQuant said the first three days of October have typically been Bitcoin's weakest three-day stretch of the month, with an average loss of 0.66%. That seasonal pattern has not played out the same way in 2026. According to the analytics firm, Bitcoin held up better through the opening three days of the month, leaving BTC ahead of its usual early-October performance.

ETF flows added another layer to the market picture. Hupzy of Spot On Chain said spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted about $241 million during the week, extending their inflow streak to three consecutive weeks, while Ethereum funds recorded net withdrawals over the same period. These weekly totals are widely tracked because spot crypto ETFs — Bitcoin funds began trading in the U.S. in January 2024, with Ethereum funds following in July 2024 — hold the assets directly and give investors brokerage-account exposure, making them a frequently cited gauge of institutional positioning.

Bitcoin ETFs Absorb About 2,850 BTC

Crypto Patel reported that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs bought roughly 2,850 BTC between Sept. 28 and Oct. 2. Based on his calculation, that amount was equal to around six days of newly mined Bitcoin supply. The comparison is a common yardstick in crypto analysis: Bitcoin's issuance schedule is fixed by code, and its block rewards are cut roughly in half every four years, so fund purchases can be measured directly against the new coins entering circulation. His weekly flows report put total net inflows across U.S. crypto spot ETFs at approximately $92.40 million for the week.

🇺🇸 U.S. SPOT CRYPTO ETFs FLOWS REPORT (28 September – 02 October) US Crypto Spot ETFs Saw ~$92.40 Million Net InFlows Last Week ➔ BlackRock ETF BUYS ~5,347 Bitcoin And 2,419 Ethereum ➔ Fidelity ETF SELL ~2,010 Bitcoin And 27,578 Ethereum ➔ Bitwise ETF SELL ~463 Bitcoin ➔… pic.twitter.com/3zSHOOafWU
— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) October 5, 2026

BlackRock-linked products accounted for the largest purchases and were the biggest single contributor to the week's buying, adding about 5,347 BTC worth approximately $450.18 million. Fidelity moved in the opposite direction, selling around 2,010 BTC during the same period. Bitwise sold about 463 BTC, while Grayscale reduced its holdings by roughly 354 BTC. ARK 21Shares added approximately 306 BTC, and Morgan Stanley-linked products bought around 112 BTC. The split between the week's largest buyer and its largest seller shows how differently individual issuers can position within the same product category over a single week.

Ethereum ETFs See $138.02 Million Leave

Ethereum ETFs moved in the opposite direction, with net outflows of about $138.02 million during the week. Hupzy said Fidelity's FETH led the withdrawals, accounting for roughly $74 million of the total.

Crypto Patel estimated that U.S. Ethereum ETFs sold around 43,974 ETH during the reporting period. Fidelity products accounted for about 27,578 ETH of those sales, while Grayscale sold approximately 14,605 ETH. VanEck reduced its position by roughly 2,570 ETH, and Franklin-linked products sold about 2,272 ETH. BlackRock and ARK 21Shares recorded smaller Ethereum purchases during the week, partially offsetting the broader outflow trend.

Bitcoin Holds Above Its Early-October Norm

CryptoQuant's historical data shows that Bitcoin has generally struggled most during the first three days of October. The firm places the average decline for that stretch at about 0.66%.

Bitcoin Holds Up Through October's Weakest Three Days "Bitcoin's first three days of October have historically been its weakest three-day stretch of the month, averaging a 0.66% decline. 2026 has already held up better." – By @coinjuicehq pic.twitter.com/pXFJNpNcQu
— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) October 5, 2026

So far in 2026, Bitcoin has outperformed that seasonal average. The comparison does not indicate where BTC will trade later in the month, but it does show that the usual early-October weakness has not appeared to the same extent this year.

The weekly ETF figures also showed a clear split between Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin products recorded $241.09 million in inflows, while Ethereum funds posted $138.02 million in outflows, according to data shared by Hupzy and Crypto Patel. The divergence left Bitcoin funds on a three-week inflow streak even as Ethereum products saw positions pared back, underscoring how differently institutional capital treated the two assets over the reporting window. The next weekly flows reports will show whether Bitcoin funds can stretch the streak to a fourth week and whether Ethereum's outflows persist, while updated seasonal data will show how the remainder of October 2026 compares with historical norms.