KEY POINTS
Harvard University’s endowment has made a significant foray into cryptocurrency, disclosing a holding of nearly $117 million in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in a regulatory filing. The filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on August 8 revealed the position for the second quarter of 2025, signaling a major move by one of the world’s most influential institutional investors into the digital asset space. Fellow Ivy League institution Brown University also reported a multi-million dollar investment in the spot Bitcoin ETF, underscoring a growing trend of adoption among traditionally conservative endowments.
Harvard’s Landmark Investment
According to the SEC filing, Harvard Management Company, which oversees the university’s massive endowment, held $116.66 million worth of IBIT shares. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted the significance of the move, highlighting that Harvard is now the 29th largest holder of IBIT and that endowments are typically the “hardest institution to hook” for new asset classes.
To put the allocation into perspective, Harvard’s Bitcoin ETF holding now sits alongside substantial positions in major technology and precious metal assets. The university’s filing also disclosed holdings of $310 million in Microsoft, $234.98 million in Amazon, $120.5 million in Meta Platforms, and $113.87 million in Alphabet. The endowment also holds $101.5 million in the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), making its Bitcoin exposure comparable to its investment in gold.
A Growing Trend Among Institutions
Harvard is not alone in its newfound interest in Bitcoin. Brown University’s endowment also revealed its own stake in IBIT in a separate SEC filing on August 8. Brown reported owning more than $13 million in the spot Bitcoin ETF, further cementing the trend of elite academic institutions embracing crypto assets through regulated investment vehicles.
Like Harvard, Brown’s Bitcoin ETF position is part of a diversified portfolio that includes traditional assets. The university also reported significant holdings in Blue Owl Capital Corporation and the SPDR Gold Shares ETF, with stakes valued at $62.3 million and $12 million, respectively.
The iShares Bitcoin Trust, launched by asset management giant BlackRock in January 2024 following the SEC’s landmark approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, has rapidly emerged as a market leader. As of August 11, the fund held net assets worth $87.5 billion, making it the largest ETF of its kind and a popular gateway for institutional investors seeking Bitcoin exposure.
The entry of prestigious endowments like those of Harvard and Brown into the crypto market represents a watershed moment for Bitcoin’s journey toward mainstream financial acceptance. These investments lend significant credibility to the asset class and may encourage other cautious institutional investors to follow suit. At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $119,639.91, reflecting a minor dip of 0.55% over the past 24 hours.
