Cryptocurrency investments are not only made by individual investors or companies. Educational institutions such as Harvard University also invest in cryptocurrencies to manage their endowment.
The fund, totaling $56.9 billion, comes from thousands of donations since Harvard's early days and is managed by Harvard Management Company (HMC). However, Harvard has only recently begun exploring the Ethereum ecosystem.
According to a filing by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), HMC owns nearly 3.9 million shares of BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), with a total value of $86.8 million. This is a spot ETF (exchange-traded fund) that tracks the price of Ether (ETH), the native token in the Ethereum ecosystem.
At the same time, Harvard sold 21% of its holdings in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), or approximately 1.5 million shares. However, this Bitcoin ETF remains Harvard's largest publicly disclosed holding, with a value of approximately $265.8 million.
Currently, Bitcoin is experiencing a significant price decline from its highest value of $126,000 back in October 2025. Therefore, this move is considered a form of risk management on Harvard's part.
Apart from Ethereum, Harvard also increased their position in Google's parent company, Alphabet, by $100 million. On the other hand, Harvard reduced their investments in Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
Portfolio diversification is one of the key elements of risk management. This is important for both individual and institutional investors. Harvard is one of the latest examples of this.
Currently, CoinMarketCap lists Bitcoin (BTC) at $68,100, while Ether (ETH) is trading at $2,000.
Which is better, Bitcoin or Ethereum? Before making a decision, learn the differences between the two in the article Ethereum vs Bitcoin: Which is the Better Investment?.
