Bitcoin ETF trimmed as Harvard adds $86.8M Ethereum ETF

Harvard Management Company cuts Bitcoin ETF 21%, opens $86.8M BlackRock Ethereum ETF

According to the Harvard Crimson, fourth-quarter portfolio filings show Harvard Management Company (HMC) cut nearly 1.5 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust , a 21% reduction , and opened an $86.8 million stake in BlackRock’s iShares spot Ethereum ETF. The endowment has not provided a rationale for these moves, and Bitcoin remained HMC’s largest publicly reported equity holding following the changes.

The adjustments arrive against a backdrop of elevated digital-asset volatility and continuing institutional experimentation with exchange-traded vehicles for crypto exposure. The actions are documented in public filings and reflect allocation choices made during Q4 2025.

Why it matters: rebalancing vs rotation, institutional diversification signal

As reported by The Block, portfolio observers have characterized the shift as a rebalance rather than a wholesale rotation from Bitcoin to Ethereum, given the still-substantial bitcoin etf position. That framing is consistent with institutions tuning risk after significant price swings rather than expressing a categorical preference for one network over another.

From a portfolio-construction lens, holding both Bitcoin and Ethereum via spot ETFs can broaden exposure across distinct crypto use cases while retaining daily liquidity and operational simplicity. Without stated intent from HMC, the diversification read is conditional but directionally consistent with large allocator practice.

Based on reporting by CoinMarketCap Academy, HMC’s combined exposure to the two crypto ETFs stood at $352.6 million at year-end. Within that total, the Bitcoin ETF position was about $265.8 million and the Ethereum stake was approximately $86.8 million, indicating diversification rather than an exit from Bitcoin.

Future exposure may differ as subsequent quarterly filings are published, and the figures reflect a point-in-time snapshot of publicly reportable holdings rather than the entirety of the endowment.

Expert views and late-2025 market context

Risk and valuation concerns raised by Siegel and Subrahmanyam

Academic voices have emphasized risk management and unresolved valuation questions for endowments allocating to crypto.

“Bitcoin exposure is risky, and it was down 22.8% year-to-date,” said Andrew F. Siegel, Emeritus Professor of Finance at the University of Washington. “Cryptocurrencies remain unproven, and valuation methods remain unclear,” said Avanidhar Subrahmanyam, Professor of Finance at UCLA.

Price drawdowns and volatility shaping institutional timing

As reported by Cointelegraph, Bitcoin fell from roughly $126,000 in October 2025 to about $88,429 by year-end, while Ethereum declined around 28% over the same span. In such conditions, trims and initiations can reflect risk controls, liquidity management, and mandate adherence rather than directional bets.

FAQ about Harvard Management Company

Is this a portfolio rebalance or a shift from Bitcoin to Ethereum by Harvard’s endowment?

Filings don’t state intent. Observers widely frame it as a rebalance and diversification, not a wholesale rotation, with Bitcoin still the larger disclosed position.

Which Ethereum ETF did Harvard buy (BlackRock), and why choose a spot ETF over other options?

The purchase was BlackRock’s iShares spot Ethereum ETF. No rationale was disclosed; a spot ETF provides direct ETH exposure within an exchange-traded structure institutions already use.