Core Insights - Harvard University's significant investment in Bitcoin highlights the timing risk faced by institutional investors as cryptocurrencies become more mainstream [1][3] Investment Details - Harvard increased its holdings in the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF to nearly $500 million in the last quarter, just before Bitcoin's price dropped over 20% [1][4] - The university purchased 4.9 million shares of the ETF, with potential losses difficult to quantify due to unknown average purchase prices [4] - If shares were bought at the lowest price in July, the cost would be approximately $294 million, with a current value of about $255 million, indicating a 14% paper loss [4] Market Context - Harvard's actions reflect a broader trend of institutional investors entering the cryptocurrency market despite recent downturns [5] - Other universities, such as Brown University and Emory University, also reported cryptocurrency holdings, albeit with less impact from the price drop [5] Performance Pressure - Harvard's investment decisions may be influenced by performance pressures, as its annualized return over the past decade ranks low among Ivy League schools [7] - Despite a recent increase in annualized returns to 9.6%, Harvard still lags behind peers like MIT and Stanford [7] - Long-term investors may not view paper losses as problematic if prices rebound, but some experts argue that cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for long-term holding [7]