Bitcoin: ETF redemptions hit $2B, then Harvard enters – Is this coincidence or…

Key Takeaways

Why is Harvard’s Bitcoin bet significant?

Harvard’s $442 million Bitcoin bet signals strong institutional confidence, potentially one of the clearest validations an ETF like IBIT can get.

How does this bet create opportunities for investors?

The split between Harvard’s bet and ETF outflows creates a classic “opportunity” setup, where dip-buyers can capitalize on volatility.

In crypto, a “dip” for one person is a buying opportunity for another.

Looking at Bitcoin [BTC], this principle seems to hold. Recently, BTC has shed a significant chunk of its value, falling back to Q2 levels from its $126k peak. As a result, this move has created a clear split in the market.

According to AMBCrypto, this split could define BTC’s next move.

Harvard bets big on Bitcoin while IBIT ETF struggles

The market is swinging between fear and greed.

Notably, this split is showing up in market positioning. Big investors are quietly loading up, while traders are exiting through ETF redemptions. Bloomberg recently noted that Harvard has placed a major bet on Bitcoin.

Specifically, via BlackRock’s IBIT BTC ETF, Harvard grabbed $442 million worth of BTC, making it the largest position in its 13F portfolio, even surpassing the seven so-called “Magnificent ETF stocks.”

Source: X

In short, long-term conviction in Bitcoin is holding strong.

Supporting this, Lookonchain recently flagged a whale buying 251 BTC ($24.18 million), bringing its total holdings to 4,169 BTC ($401.47 million), which puts the cost basis of this latest transaction at $96,345 per BTC.

In this context, Harvard’s Bitcoin bet adds even more fuel. While retail shows caution, Harvard’s move signals confidence. That said, could Harvard’s stake be one of the strongest endorsement BTC ETFs could get?

BTC’s long-term ROI stays firm amid short-term swings

BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) has flipped deep into the red.

According to Farside data, IBIT has seen outflows in nine of the past two weeks, totaling around $2 billion. This highlights the market’s fear, with weaker hands panicking or rotating out, fueling short-term volatility.

And yet, long-term investors are stepping in, signaling they see this “dip” as an opportunity. This split between 20-year money and 20-day money is creating a classic “buy the dip” setup, reinforcing BTC’s institutional play.

Source: TradingView (BTC/USDT)

Simply put, Harvard’s stake is as strong a validation as an ETF can get.

Even though short-term volatility has eaten into returns (Bitcoin’s annual ROI is just 2.62%, one of the weakest stretches in years) BTC has still managed to hit new ATHs, keeping institutional conviction firmly intact.

As a result, the “split” reinforces the “opportunity” setup for dip-buyers.