Bitcoin ETFs Lose $450M as CLARITY Act Setback Hits Market

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded their largest daily outflow since June as Bitcoin faced renewed selling pressure following the Senate's failure to advance the CLARITY Act.

The 13 funds lost a combined $450.4 million on September 15, reversing the $159.9 million inflow recorded the previous day, according to Farside data.

The withdrawal was the largest since June 24, when Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $469 million in outflows.

Fidelity and BlackRock Lead Outflows

Fidelity's FBTC recorded the largest withdrawal at $214.8 million. BlackRock's IBIT followed with $161.7 million in outflows.

Grayscale's GBTC lost $44.1 million, while ARKB recorded $17.4 million and Bitwise's BITB saw $12.4 million leave the fund.

The scale of the withdrawals shows that institutional Bitcoin demand weakened sharply as the market faced a combination of regulatory uncertainty and falling prices.

Bitcoin was trading near $75,700, down about 2.5% over 24 hours at the time of the reported data.

CLARITY Act Adds to Market Pressure

The ETF outflows came as the Senate rejected a procedural motion to advance the CLARITY Act by a 49 - 50 vote. The bill needed 60 votes to proceed.

The setback added another layer of uncertainty for crypto markets, which were already dealing with tighter monetary policy after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points on September 16.

Related: Bitcoin Drops as Fed Delivers First Rate Hike Since 2023

The ETF reversal also follows a stronger period of institutional demand. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $3.52 billion during August, their strongest monthly inflow performance of 2026.

The latest withdrawal therefore marks a sharp short-term change rather than evidence that ETF demand has disappeared.

For now, Bitcoin faces pressure from ETF outflows, tighter monetary policy and uncertainty around U.S. crypto legislation, leaving the next few trading sessions important for gauging whether institutional demand returns.