Ivy League Institutions Invest Heavily in Bitcoin: Harvard and Brown University Purchase $140 Million worth of BTC ETF Shares According to Bloomberg Sources
In a significant move for the cryptocurrency industry, two Ivy League universities - Harvard University and Brown University - have invested substantial sums in the BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), a spot Bitcoin ETF launched in January 2024.
According to reports from Coinglass, Harvard University has invested approximately $116.66 million in IBIT during the second quarter of 2025, making it the 29th-largest institutional holder of the fund. This investment ranks as Harvard’s fifth-largest public stock holding and surpasses its holdings in gold and several major tech companies like Alphabet and Nvidia. With an endowment totalling about $53.2 billion, the Bitcoin ETF represents a notable allocation within its publicly reported U.S.-listed securities portfolio.
Brown University also holds shares in the same ETF, having disclosed a position worth over $13 million in IBIT, nearly doubling its stake compared to earlier in 2025.
IBIT is currently the largest spot Bitcoin ETF by assets under management, with net assets around $87.5 billion, and it has attracted significant institutional interest since its U.S. approval.
Here's a summary of the universities' investments:
| University | Bitcoin ETF | Approximate Investment | Notes | |------------------|------------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------| | Harvard University | BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) | $116.66 million | 29th largest IBIT holder; 5th largest public holding | | Brown University | BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) | Over $13 million | Nearly doubled position in 2025 |
No other Bitcoin ETFs were disclosed in their portfolios as per the available data.
Eric Balchunas, a senior analyst at Bloomberg, has stated that these investments highlight the growing acceptance of Bitcoin by mainstream institutions. However, he notes that endowments are hard to hook and rarely bite on ETFs, and it's unclear if Harvard is doing a larger trade or arbitrage with IBIT.
The Daily Hodl, a platform that provides news, analysis, and information about Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and digital assets, has covered this development extensively. The platform covers categories such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, trading, altcoins, futuremash, financeflux, blockchain, regulators, scams, hodlX, press releases, and more.
It's important to note that The Daily Hodl does not provide investment advice and encourages readers to do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments.
As the cryptocurrency market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these investments impact the growth and acceptance of Bitcoin and other digital assets.
- The cryptocurrency market has seen significant growth with mainstream institutions, as two Ivy League universities, Harvard University and Brown University, have invested in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT).
- Education-and-self-development platforms, such as The Daily Hodl, are providing comprehensive coverage on Bitcoin, Ethereum, trading, altcoins, blockchain, and more, helping individuals make informed decisions in the ever-evolving cryptocurrency world.
- As institutions like Harvard University and Brown University continue to invest in cryptocurrency, it signals the potential for increased acceptance and growth in the finance sector, with altcoins and blockchain technology playing a crucial role.
