Bitcoin slips 1.3% to $81,960 as spot ETFs lose $228.4 million in a week
Strategy bought 250 bitcoin, and MSCI will publish on Nov. 11 its list of companies at risk of index removal after adopting new rules.
- Bitcoin traded at $81,960 on Coinbase on Oct. 18, down 1.3% from $83,074 on Oct. 11, after a $79,676 low.
- U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs recorded $228.4 million in net outflows over Oct. 12-16, according to Farside Investors data.
- MSCI will publish its list of potentially affected companies on Nov. 11, and the Fed meets on Oct. 27-28.
Bitcoin fell 1.3% to $81,960 in the seven days to 8:00 a.m. ET on Oct. 18, as a hotter U.S. inflation report revived rate-hike bets and spot bitcoin ETFs lost $228.4 million in net outflows.
Bitcoin drops 1.3% to $81,960 after a $79,676 low on Oct. 15
Bitcoin traded at $83,074 on Coinbase at 8:00 a.m. ET on Oct. 11 and at $81,960 at the same time on Oct. 18, down $1,114 (our calculation), according to Bitcoin News Digest.
The weekly low of $79,676 came at 9:55 a.m. ET on Oct. 15, after the producer-price report, and the high of $84,262 at 3:10 a.m. ET on Oct. 12, the same source said.
CoinDesk's bitcoin price page showed $81,908.67 at 9:07 a.m. EDT on Oct. 18, with bitcoin's market value at $1.65 trillion.
Ether traded at $2,428.20 on Oct. 17, according to Investing.com data on Yahoo Finance.
A hotter inflation report revived hike bets, then the odds fell to 15%
September's inflation report showed core consumer prices rising more than expected, and bitcoin fell below $82,000 on Oct. 14, The Block reported.
The Fed raised its benchmark rate in September to 3.75%-4%, according to CoinGape. CME FedWatch odds of a 25 basis point hike fell from 33% to 15% within hours, which CoinGape tied to expectations of an October pause.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh declined to preview the Oct. 27-28 meeting. "I don't prejudge meetings," he said, per CoinGape's report of Oct. 16.
Paul Howard, senior director at Wincent, expects bitcoin to stay between $80,000 and $88,000 near term, The Block reported on Oct. 14. The week's range ran from $79,676 to $84,262, a spread of $4,586 (our calculation).
U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs lose $228.4 million as BlackRock's fund leads outflows
Farside Investors' daily table shows net flows of -$65.4 million on Oct. 12, +$175.7 million on Oct. 13, -$261.4 million on Oct. 14, +$5.1 million on Oct. 15 and -$82.4 million on Oct. 16.
That sums to -$228.4 million for the week (our calculation). BlackRock's IBIT led the retreat with about $165 million out, Crypto Briefing reported, including $71.8 million on Oct. 16.
Month-to-date outflows were about $615 million. The funds held about 1.276 million bitcoin and $104.29 billion in assets, with cumulative net inflows near $56.88 billion since January 2024.
Ethereum investment products had $69.68 million of outflows on Oct. 16, according to the Yahoo Finance report.
MSCI sets Nov. 11 for its at-risk list as Strategy adds 250 bitcoin
MSCI will apply new rules for non-operating companies from its November index review and publish a final list of potentially affected companies on Nov. 11, The Block reported on Oct. 15.
Strategy, Metaplanet and Yellow Cake were flagged in a May 2026 simulation of the screen, according to the same report.
Strategy's filing with the SEC on Oct. 12 shows 250 bitcoin bought for $21.5 million, at an average $86,194, between Oct. 5 and Oct. 11. Holdings rose to 848,250 bitcoin.
At $81,960, those holdings are worth about $69.5 billion, 8.6% above the $64.00 billion aggregate purchase price (our calculation). The company also repurchased 1,932,145 shares of STRC preferred stock for $192.4 million.
September's $766.5 million in hack losses frames the security backdrop
PeckShield counted 55 major incidents and $766.5 million stolen in September, and CertiK recorded 97 incidents and $768.4 million, Cointelegraph reported on Oct. 1.
CertiK's dashboard showed 656 incidents and $2.68 billion in losses for 2026. The sources reviewed for this edition reported no large exploit in the week of Oct. 12-16.
The week in numbers
| Metric | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin, Coinbase | $81,960, -1.3% on the week our calculation | Oct. 18, 8:00 a.m. ET | Bitcoin News Digest |
| Bitcoin weekly low | $79,676 | Oct. 15, 9:55 a.m. ET | Bitcoin News Digest |
| Spot bitcoin ETF net flows | -$228.4 million our calculation | Oct. 12-16 | Farside Investors |
| Ether | $2,428.20 | Oct. 17 | Yahoo Finance |
| Strategy bitcoin holdings | 848,250 bitcoin | Oct. 11 | SEC filing |
| Fed 25 bp hike odds | 15%, from 33% | Oct. 16 | CoinGape |
As of the dates shown. Coinbase prices are taken at 8:00 a.m. ET on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18. ETF flows are the sum of daily figures from Oct. 12 to Oct. 16.
Three dates set the next test: the Fed on Oct. 27-28, Circle on Nov. 4, MSCI on Nov. 11
- Oct. 27-28: the Federal Reserve meets, and Chair Warsh has not previewed the decision.
- Nov. 4: Circle Internet Group reports third-quarter earnings, according to the Yahoo Finance report.
- Nov. 11: MSCI publishes the final list of potentially affected companies.
How we reported this: Prices come from Coinbase data compiled by Bitcoin News Digest and match CoinDesk. ETF flows are summed from Farside daily figures. Changes are our calculation (81,960 / 83,074 - 1). Official inflation tables were not opened.