BTC Price Struggles Below $105K Despite Bitcoin ETF Inflows Rise, Here’s Why

Key Insights:

• BTC price faces hurdle at $105k despite ETF inflows hitting $320M.
• Futures premium drops as traders reduce leveraged exposure.
• BTC tracks S&P 500 amid rising recession fears.

Bitcoin (BTC) price hovered around $103,918 on May 15 after multiple failed attempts to break past the $105,000 resistance. The rejection zone, first tested on May 10, now casts doubt on the strength of the bullish momentum that propelled BTC above $104,000 earlier this week.

As ETF inflows increase and macroeconomic data weigh on risk assets, traders have begun pulling back from leveraged long positions, reflecting caution in the face of market uncertainty.

Bitcoin ETF Inflows Rise, But Bulls Dampen Bitcoin Price Rally Hopes

Institutional investors continued to show interest in BTC despite broader macro risks. U.S. spot BTC exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded a net inflow of $319.56 million on May 14, according to SoSoValue. This marked a sharp reversal from the $96.14 million outflow seen the previous day.

Despite the capital inflow, leveraged long interest declined sharply. Data from Laevitas showed the annualized premium on two-month BTC futures dropped from 7% to 5%, returning to levels last seen when Bitcoin price traded near $84,500 in mid-April.

That premium, often viewed as a gauge of market optimism, now hovers near a neutral-to-bearish zone. This signals a lack of aggressive bullish bets, even as institutional flows persist, which might be hindering the Bitcoin price breakout.

BTC Price Mirrors S&P 500 as Rate Fears Persist

Bitcoin’s price action has closely mirrored that of the U.S. stock market, especially the S&P 500. Charts from TradingView showed a rebound in S&P 500 futures from early weakness on May 15, aligning with BTC’s short-term bounce from $101,800 to $104,000.

The correlation appears tied to investor expectations of monetary policy changes. On May 14, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that persistent “supply shocks” could keep interest rates elevated longer than markets anticipate.

Yields on the 10-year U.S. Treasury dropped to 4.45% after peaking at 4.55% the day prior. Typically, falling yields support stocks and crypto, but the macro narrative remains mixed in this case.

Producer Price Index (PPI) data also added to the uncertainty. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.5% monthly decline for April, against a 0.2% expected rise. The unexpected drop suggested cooling demand but failed to restore risk appetite.

Options Data Shows Caution for BTC Price, Not Panic

Options market data offered a more nuanced view of trader sentiment. The 60-day BTC delta skew, which compares demand for put (sell) and call (buy) options, dropped to -4%, according to Laevitas.

This level remains neutral, meaning traders are not aggressively hedging against a downturn. In fact, options traded at a discount, showing confidence in the Bitcoin price’s $100,000 support.

Meanwhile, CoinGlass reported a long-to-short ratio of 0.92—the lowest in over a month—indicating more traders are betting on short-term downside.

Ukraine-Russia Tensions Add Geopolitical Risk

Geopolitical events have added another layer of uncertainty to the broader crypto market, let alone the Bitcoin price. Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled in Turkey, but both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to skip the summit.

Reuters reported that the U.S. delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg. Ukraine has yet to confirm its attendance, creating doubts about the effectiveness of the negotiations.

A positive breakthrough could restore risk appetite across global markets, potentially boosting Bitcoin. However, without top-level participation, hopes for a resolution remain slim.

Bitcoin price’s short-term direction hinges on a mix of institutional demand, macro indicators, and geopolitical clarity. While the $105,000 resistance remains a strong ceiling, ETF inflows and options pricing suggest underlying support near $100,000.

Still, the reluctance to deploy leverage reflects broader caution, especially with Federal Reserve policy and trade tensions weighing on risk markets.