Harvard Boosts Bitcoin Exposure as Institutional Demand Rises

Harvard University is accelerating its shift toward Bitcoin, increasing its investment exposure to BTC at a significantly faster rate than gold, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan. In an update shared on X on December 8, Hougan revealed that Harvard University expanded its Bitcoin holdings from $117 million in Q2 to nearly $443 million in Q3. By comparison, the university’s gold ETF allocation grew from $102 million to $235 million over the same period. This 2-to-1 ratio in favor of Bitcoin highlights Harvard’s growing conviction that BTC is a stronger asset in a macro environment dominated by currency debasement concerns.

Harvard Management Company (HMC), which oversees the university’s $2.10 billion endowment portfolio, now holds 6.81 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT). This makes Bitcoin the single largest position in the entire portfolio, accounting for roughly 21% of HMC’s total holdings. The endowment also maintains positions in major tech stocks such as Microsoft and Amazon, while its SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) investment—valued at $235.10 million—ranks as the fourth-largest holding.

Harvard’s aggressive move into Bitcoin is drawing the attention of institutional and crypto market participants, as such shifts often set trends across the investment landscape. Despite recent volatility and a net outflow of $87.77 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs last week—including a $48.99 million outflow from IBIT—investor sentiment remains sensitive to macroeconomic catalysts. Market observers expect a potential Fed rate cut of 25 basis points to strengthen bullish momentum for Bitcoin.

BTC’s price has surged more than 2% in the last 24 hours, trading around $91,715, supported by a 50% increase in trading volume and rising open interest across major exchanges. Analysts note that a decisive breakout above the $93K–$94K resistance zone could push Bitcoin toward $100K, while a drop below $84K may open the door to deeper bearish pressure.