What changed in BTC dominance this week?

TLDR

Bitcoin (BTC) dominance rose slightly this week, sitting near 59.16% versus about 59.14% last week (UTC).

1. BTC briefly touched 60% dominance on 18 Dec per a crypto market update, then eased back as price volatility picked up (report).
2. Headlines pointed to mixed ETF flows and thin year-end liquidity, which favored BTC over altcoins (market note).
3. Several desks highlighted persistent altcoin underperformance and unlock pressure, keeping rotation toward BTC and ETH intact (desk update).

Deep Dive

1. Magnitude

BTC dominance is little changed week over week, up by roughly 0.02 percentage points to around 59.16% (UTC). Intraweek swings were larger, with a brief print near 60% midweek before settling.

• The 60% print on 18 Dec was flagged in a market roundup as spot BTC ETFs saw strong net inflows that day (roundup).
• Subsequent sessions saw price chop and holiday-thin trading, which pulled dominance back toward the high?59% area (market note).

2. Catalysts

The drivers were mixed: a strong ETF intake day early in the week, followed by net ETF outflows and thin liquidity into the holidays.

1. A top-five inflow day for a major U.S. spot BTC ETF coincided with the 60% dominance print (summary).
2. Later reports highlighted nearly $500 million in net outflows across U.S. spot BTC ETFs, dampening follow?through (market note).
3. Year?end liquidity remained thin, making small flows move prices and keeping risk appetite constrained (desk update).

3. Altcoins Under Pressure

Altcoins broadly lagged, with desks citing heavy supply overhangs and unlock schedules, which concentrated flows into BTC and ETH.

• Wintermute said altcoin season is fading, as investors rotate back into majors amid weak flows and token unlock pressure (desk update).
• Multiple crypto outlets tracked daily pullbacks across majors and sector-wide softness, consistent with dominance staying elevated (market recap).

Conclusion

BTC dominance changed only modestly this week. A brief spike to 60% coincided with strong ETF inflows, but thin holiday liquidity and later ETF outflows kept dominance anchored near the high?59% range. The underlying mix of subdued altcoin breadth and supply overhang continues to favor BTC on defensive rotations.