Bitcoin
Bitcoin ETFs Pull In $1.07B as Irish Drug Trafficker-Linked Wallet Moves $41M
Oct 22, 2026, 09:10 UTC
Bitcoin
Oct 22, 2026, 09:10 UTC
Oct 22, 2026, 09:10 UTC3 min read
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF attracted more than $1.07 billion in net inflows over three trading sessions from October 19 through yesterday, October 21, while a wallet linked to convicted Irish drug trafficker Clifton Collins moved another 500 BTC worth approximately $41 million to a Coinbase Prime deposit address.
The ETF figures show a sharp recovery in institutional investment demand, while the latest Bitcoin transfer adds another chapter to the mystery surrounding Collins’ long-dormant cryptocurrency fortune.
US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $526.7 million in net inflows on Monday, October 19, followed by $23.2 million on Tuesday and $524.8 million on Wednesday. The combined total reached $1.0747 billion across the three sessions.
Wednesday’s rebound was driven by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), which attracted $235 million, and Fidelity’s FBTC, which recorded $212.7 million in inflows. Grayscale’s GBTC added $32.6 million, while Bitwise’s BITB attracted $19.2 million.
Other funds also recorded positive flows, including ARKB at $9.8 million, EZBC at $7.3 million, and the fund listed as BTC at $8.2 million.
Tuesday’s activity was considerably weaker. IBIT attracted $29.9 million, and FBTC added $3.6 million, while BITB recorded $10.3 million in outflows, leaving the market with $23.2 million in net inflows.
Monday’s $526.7 million total was primarily driven by $665.2 million entering IBIT, partially offset by $54.9 million in outflows from GBTC and $83.6 million from FBTC.
The three-day figures show renewed demand for regulated Bitcoin investment products. The next sessions will help establish whether the inflows mark a sustained recovery or a short-term surge concentrated in a few large funds.
A wallet linked by blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence to Clifton Collins transferred another 500 BTC, worth $41 million, to Coinbase Prime on October 20. The movement was reported as the fifth 500 BTC transfer from Collins-linked holdings during 2026, extending a series of transactions that have drawn attention to the status of the long-dormant Bitcoin.
Collins accumulated 6,000 BTC in 2011 and 2012 using proceeds from drug dealing. Following his arrest in 2017, the printed copies of his wallet keys were reportedly discarded by his landlord, leaving the Bitcoin believed to be inaccessible.
The recent movements have raised questions about how access to the holdings was restored and who authorized the transfers. Arkham’s tracking indicates that approximately 2,500 BTC from Collins-linked holdings have moved during 2026, leaving around 3,500 BTC in associated wallets.
The transfers have coincided with cryptocurrency seizures publicly announced by Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). The agency has reported seizures of Bitcoin linked to Collins during the year.
The remaining holdings are an important part of the story. Further transfers, an official statement from Irish authorities or confirmation from Coinbase could clarify whether the funds are under state control, being held in custody or moving for another reason.
Back to Bitcoin movement, the $1.07 billion in three-day net inflows provides a fresh measure of demand for U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs. At the same time, the Collins-linked wallet movements demonstrate that substantial amounts of long-dormant Bitcoin can re-enter circulation.
The two developments highlight different aspects of the Bitcoin market: growing investment through regulated funds and the continuing movement of a crypto fortune that was believed to have been lost.
