Journalist
Tanzeel Akhtar
Journalist
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Ethereum-linked exchange-traded products were among the strongest crypto-related performers in December, according to data from ETFGI.
Two Ethereum-focused products ranked within the top 10 U.S. exchange-traded products (ETPs) by net new assets during the month placing crypto alongside commodities and volatility-based instruments that dominated investor flows.
Fidelity and Grayscale Lead Crypto ETF Inflows
The Fidelity Ethereum Fund (FETH US) recorded $59.25 million in net inflows in December making it the largest crypto-related gainer on the list.
The fund now manages approximately $2.2 billion in assets with year-to-date net inflows reaching $1.06 billion reflecting steady institutional accumulation throughout 2025.
The Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH US) attracted $39.21 million in net new assets during December. Total assets under management stand at roughly $2.15 billion with nearly $887 million added over the course of the year.
Although Ethereum ETFs did not match the scale of inflows seen in leveraged commodity or volatility-linked products their presence among the top inflow leaders underscores Ethereum’s growing role in institutional portfolios.
Investors Prefer Spot Crypto Exposure Over Leverage
December’s largest inflows overall were concentrated in leveraged and volatility-based ETPs including inverse silver and VIX-linked products reflecting heightened uncertainty across macro markets.
In contrast Ethereum ETFs offer unleveraged, spot-linked exposure, making them more suitable for longer-term positioning rather than short-term tactical trades.
Market participants increasingly view regulated Ethereum ETFs as a way to gain exposure to blockchain infrastructure themes—such as tokenization, stablecoins, and decentralized finance—without direct custody or operational complexity.
Bitcoin ETFs Absent From December’s Top List
Notably spot Bitcoin ETFs did not appear among December’s top 10 products by net new assets. This absence suggests a possible pause in Bitcoin allocations following strong earlier inflows or a relative shift in investor interest toward Ethereum as a complementary digital asset exposure.
Latest data from CoinShares reports a recovery in January – digital asset investment products recorded $2.17 billion in inflows last week marking their strongest weekly inflows since October 2025. At the asset level Bitcoin continued to dominate attracting $1.55 billion in inflows reinforcing its role as the primary institutional gateway into digital assets during periods of uncertainty.
Crypto ETFs Hold Their Ground Amid Macro Volatility
While commodities and volatility products dominated December flows, Ethereum ETFs demonstrated resilience, maintaining consistent asset growth into year-end. According to ETFGI data, crypto ETPs remain a small but increasingly durable segment of the U.S. ETF market.
The December figures reinforce Ethereum’s position as the leading alternative to Bitcoin in regulated investment products showing continued institutional confidence in the asset’s long-term role within digital finance.
