Harvard will drop ETH Holdings after one quarter in 2026
Harvard sold its entire Ethereum ETF position after only holding a quarter. A Q1 2026 SEC filing confirmed the sale of $87 million worth of ETH-linked ETF shares. Harvard reduced its Bitcoin exposure by selling about 2.3 million ETF shares. The offering still holds more than 3 million shares of the Bitcoin ETF, valued at $117 million. Ethereum is down more than 50% from its August 2025 high of nearly $5000.
After holding it for only one quarter, Harvard has released its entire Ethereum exposure. The move appeared in a Q1 2026 SEC filing, which revealed the sale of all ETH-linked ETF shares. Harvard held a large BTC position and reduced its Bitcoin holdings over the same period.
Harvard exits Ethereum ETF holdings in Q1 filing
Harvard Management Company disclosed the sale in a recent filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The grant no longer holds a share of $87 million in the Ethereum Exchange Fund.
The fund previously owned shares in BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust ETF in Q4 2025. However, the Q1 2026 filing showed a complete departure from that position. Harvard sold the ETH-linked shares after only holding them for a quarter. The record did not provide specific reasons for the decision.
The offering reduced its exposure to Bitcoin during the same reporting period. The Bitcoin ETF sold about 2.3 million shares. Despite the discount, Harvard still owns more than 3 million shares of the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. These holdings are worth approximately $117 million.
Ethereum price decrease and base changes
Ethereum has had a challenging year, with its price down more than 50% from its August 2025 peak. The property was valued at $5,000 before it was reduced. The price drop happened with internal changes in the Ethereum Foundation. In 2026, many researchers and employees left the organization. Julian Ma and Carl Beck recently announced their departure from the foundation. Their withdrawal brings the number of trips this year to eight.
Longtime researcher and former project manager Josh Stark left in April. These changes follow the management adjustments that began in January 2025. In March, the Ethereum Foundation released a new mandate that defines its priorities. The document emphasizes decentralization, privacy, open source code and censorship resistance.
The mandate received mixed responses from members of the crypto community. Some observers supported the focus on core principles. Journalist Laura Shin commented on the foundation's guidelines for public opinion. She said the main pillars are “great” and “worth fighting for”.
However, they added that the foundation should also focus on token economics and price performance. “It seems like the Ethereum Foundation wants to sit on its own,” Shin said. Harvard's Q1 2026 filing reflects these broader developments in the Ethereum ecosystem. The offering is reduced but still holds a large Bitcoin ETF position.
