U.S. Bitcoin ETFs Draw $500M in Inflows as BTC Gains 12% During Middle East Tensions

Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S. recorded about $500 million in new inflows, with 10 of 11 products attracting notable investor demand, Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas said in a post on X. Since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, Bitcoin has gained roughly 12% while gold declined over the same period, intensifying debate over their respective safe-haven characteristics. Balchunas noted it is rare for Bitcoin to strengthen and gold to weaken during rising geopolitical risks, prompting some investors to reassess traditional "safe-haven assets" relative to "digital gold." Longer-term views remain split, with some analysts arguing gold remains the primary safe haven in conventional crises while Bitcoin's behavior is typically more volatile.