Swensen (Yale Endowment)
David Swensen's approach at Yale revolutionized institutional investing by allocating heavily to alternatives (real estate, private equity) and away from traditional stocks and bonds.
Allocation
What if you add Bitcoin?
Adding Bitcoin changes the risk-return profile. Here is how different allocations compare, reducing other positions proportionally:
| Portfolio | Return | Volatility | Sharpe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base (Swensen (Yale Endowment)) | 7.05% | 11.53% | 0.34 |
| With 5% Bitcoin | 7.47% | 11.76% | 0.37 |
| With 10% Bitcoin | 7.85% | 12.27% | 0.39 |
Returns are geometric (compound). Sharpe ratio uses 3.10% risk-free rate (US Cash, JPM LTCMA 2026). Forward-looking estimates, not predictions.
How these numbers are calculated
Expected returns and volatilities come from J.P. Morgan's 2026 Long-Term Capital Market Assumptions (30th edition). Portfolio risk is computed using the full 27x27 correlation matrix, not simple weighted averages. The Sharpe ratio uses 3.10% (US Cash) as the risk-free rate.
For full methodology details, see the methodology page.
Customize this portfolio
Adjust weights, add constraints, try different optimization methods.