Share this article
Leveraged Bearish Strategy ETF Surges 19%, Signals Dour Outlook for MSTR and Bitcoin
The ETF, which bets against MSTR, has seen a net inflow of $16.3 million in the past six months, while its bullish counterpart has experienced significant outflows.
Aug 6, 2025, 7:48 a.m.
What to know:
- The Defiance Daily Target 2x Short MSTR ETF surged 19% last week, marking its best performance since February.
- The ETF's prolonged bearish trend ended with the double-digit price rise, with the bullish marubozu candle signaling a decisive shift in momentum.
- The ETF, which bets against MSTR, has seen a net inflow of $16.3 million in the past six months, while its bullish counterpart has experienced significant outflows.
This is a technical analysis post by CoinDesk analyst and Chartered Market Technician Omkar Godbole.
A U.S.-listed leveraged anti-Strategy (MSTR) exchange-traded fund (ETF) surged last week, suggesting a potential bearish outlook for bitcoin and MSTR.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
The Defiance Daily Target 2x Short MSTR ETF, listed under the ticker SMST on Nasdaq, rose 19%, its best performance since late February, according to data source TradingView. It was also the third consecutive weekly gain, the first such instance since the ETF debuted in August last year.
That's not all, the 19% surge pierced the bearish trendline, representing the meltdown from September 2024 highs of around $2,368 to under $20. The so-called bullish breakout is clearly visible on a long-scale weekly candlesticks chart. The log-scale is used for assets which have experienced exponential price moves, as is the case with SMST.
The macro-level trendline breakout is supported by a powerful bullish signal in the form of a bullish marubozu candle, indicating that buyers were in firm control last week and momentum is now decisively upward. The bullish marubozu candle is identified by a prominent green body and little-to-no wicks (shadows), indicating buyer dominance.
The overall takeaway for traders is that the SMST is suggesting a dour outlook for Strategy and bitcoin. Strategy is the largest publicly listed bitcoin holder, possessing 628,791 BTC, worth over $71 billion, as of the time of writing.
The 2x short ETF seeks to deliver daily investment results that are -200%, or minus 2x, the daily percentage change in the MSTR share price. The fund represents a bearish leveraged bet on MSTR.
The ETF has seen a net inflow of 16.3 million in the past six months, according to data source VettaFi. Meanwhile, its bullish peer, the 2x long MSTR fund (SMST), has seen net outflows of over $275 million.
Read more: Bitcoin ETFs Bleed Millions for 4th Straight Day as U.S. Stagflation Fears Weigh on BTC and Stocks
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
Больше для вас
Что нужно знать:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
Больше для вас
APT Gains 1.8% to $1.76 Despite Token Unlock Overhang
Trading volume spiked as institutional players position ahead of $19.8 million supply increase.
Что нужно знать:
- APT climbed 1.8% to $1.76.
- Volume surged 46% above monthly averages as traders repositioned.
- Dec. 12 token unlock event creates $19.3 million supply overhang.
Top Stories
