Harvard Boosts Bitcoin Exposure As Its $443M Bet Draws Attention

Harvard boosts its Bitcoin ETF stake to $443M, doubling its gold exposure as market volatility raises questions about timing and strategy.

Harvard increased its Bitcoin investment during the third quarter and turned the asset into its largest disclosed ETF position. 

The university now holds about $443 million in the iShares Bitcoin Trust. 

Harvard also raised its gold ETF allocation, yet its Bitcoin position still sits at twice the size of its gold exposure. This trend has placed Harvard near the top tier of holders of the BlackRock fund.

Harvard Expands Its Allocation To Bitcoin

Harvard raised its Bitcoin ETF stake by more than 250% during Q3 of this year alone. Its gold ETF allocation climbed as well, yet the difference between the two asset classes shows a clear tilt toward Bitcoin. 

The $443 million Bitcoin position stands as about 0.75% of the school’s $57 billion endowment.

Harvard ramped its bitcoin investment in Q3 from $117m ot $443m. It also boosted its gold ETF allocation from $102m to $235m.

Think about that for a second: Harvard decided to put on a debasement trade and it allocated to bitcoin 2-to-1 over gold.

— Matt Hougan (@Matt_Hougan) December 8, 2025

The increase placed Harvard among the top 20 holders of the fund. A noticeable rise in gold exposure also occurred, and reached about $235 million. With this, Harvard now sits at a two to one ratio favoring Bitcoin over gold.

Market timing has created challenges for the fund though. Bitcoin fell from around $114,000 to about $92,000 after the quarter ended. This drop placed the university’s latest purchases at a loss on paper. 

Even so, these losses are small compared to the overall endowment.

Performance comparisons also surfaced. Over the past decade, Harvard’s returns have trailed some rival schools. For the year ending June 30, Harvard posted an 11.9% gain. MIT and Stanford delivered higher numbers for the same period.

Harvard And Expert Reactions To Bitcoin’s Role

Harvard’s decision came after years of debate about Bitcoin’s purpose. Some economists at the university have argued that Bitcoin carries limited use and may struggle under strict regulation. 

Kenneth Rogoff predicted years ago that Bitcoin would sink far below current prices. His view showed concerns around illegal transactions and narrow everyday use.

Almost a decade ago I was the Harvard economist that said that bitcoin was more likely to be worth $100 than 100k. What did I miss? I was far too optimistic about the US coming to its senses about sensible cryptocurrency regulation; why would policymakers want to facilitate tax…

— Kenneth S Rogoff (@krogoff) August 19, 2025

Other academics also see Bitcoin and gold as assets that investors may use during currency stress. Stanford professor Joshua Rauh explained that some investors treat both as hedges during periods of concern over the global monetary system. 

He added that the usefulness of either asset in such conditions depends on the specific situation.

Environmental worries also appeared. Critics noted the heavy energy use across the global Bitcoin mining network. Others questioned the lack of yield from Bitcoin and its limited role as a payment method.

Related Reading: Solv Protocol Partners With Stellar to Boost BTC-Denominated Yields

Harvard Faces A Market In Flux

Harvard increased its Bitcoin stake during a time when crypto markets lacked direction. ETF outflows reached billions of dollars over several weeks. 

This trend reduced demand and placed extra pressure on prices. Bitcoin currently sits below its highs and struggles to regain the $100,000 area.

Some analysts pointed to resistance levels that continue to limit its progress. Many holders now sit on losses, and each rise toward the mid $90,000 zone invites selling from traders who want to exit at break even. 

A large set of Bitcoin options also centers around the $91,000 region and this creates hesitation across the market.

In all, experts argue that strength above $100,000 could restore confidence, while a failure to clear that level may lead to a deeper pullback toward the low $80,000 range.