Markets
February 17, 2026
Harvard University’s endowment fund is adjusting its crypto exposure with a $86.8 million investment in an Ethereum-linked ETF, along with a Bitcoin ETF reduction. According to its SEC filing, the Harvard Management Company (HMC) purchased 3,870,900 shares of BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust valued at around $86.8 million ($86,824,287).
It’s also worth noting that HMC cut back on its stake in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF by 21%. It sold 1.5 million shares. HMC’s current holdings in Bitcoin-linked ETFs stand at 5,353,612 shares, valued at $265.8 million ($265,806,836), according to the filing.
Despite the adjustment, Bitcoin remains Harvard’s single largest disclosed holding. Harvard is yet to comment on the shift.
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How Harvard Ethereum ETF Moves Reflect Institutional Investment Trends
The new Harvard crypto holdings highlight a growing shift among large institutions toward digital assets and diversification to minimize risk. This is Harvard’s first disclosed allocation to an ETH-linked ETF.
Harvard’s decision doesn’t signal a rejection of Bitcoin since it’s still the largest holding. It is instead a sign of reevaluating investments in digital assets with a focus on long-term exposure.
Even during a weak market phase, the increase in Ethereum institutional investment suggests confidence in the asset’s long-term viability rather than short-term performance. In the past month, ETH has faced market pressure, dropping around 40.4%.
Bitcoin prices fell by around 28.8% in the same period, according to Google Finance.
HMC’s exposure to Ethereum is still low compared to Bitcoin or the endowment’s total valuation, but the move may carry signaling value. Historically, moves by large endowment funds are well-calculated and considered less risky. These are then often adopted by smaller funds and retail investors.
In this case, the latest Harvard crypto holdings may drive increased future ETH ETF inflows.
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Overall, the Harvard Ethereum ETF investment is a sign that cryptocurrency is no longer considered speculative. Instead, it has become structurally investible. Institutions are now willing to evaluate it alongside other traditional investment options and are even looking to diversify within the sector to minimize risks.
It’s also a positive sign for the market. This comes at a time when all major cryptocurrencies are trading below recent highs, and the Crypto Fear and Greed Index is in the Extreme Fear levels.
