In a landmark move signaling growing institutional confidence in cryptocurrency, Ivy League Brown University has disclosed a $5.8 million stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), according to a recent SEC 13F-HR filing.

This marks Brown’s first reported exposure to cryptocurrencies through a regulated investment product, managed by one of the world's largest asset managers.

Brown University's bet on cryptocurrency

Many universities and educational institutions have long been wary of crypto, but it seems that this sentiment has changed.

In recent years, more and more universities have begun to make a quiet and decisive shift to allocate part of their endowment funds into crypto.

The filing reveals Brown held 105,000 shares of IBIT as of March 31, 2025, valued initially at $4.9 million and now worth about $5.8 million amid Bitcoin’s recent surge near $96,000.

Brown’s $7.2 billion endowment, which returned 11.3% in fiscal 2024, has traditionally focused on a diversified portfolio including stocks, bonds, private equity, real estate, and commodities.

The addition of Bitcoin exposure via BlackRock’s ETF reflects a strategic diversification approach led by a professional investment team adapting to the increasing complexity of financial markets.

Although the Bitcoin allocation represents a modest 0.08% of the total endowment, the move carries significant symbolic weight, signaling a shift in mindset within conservative institutional investors toward embracing digital assets as part of a long-term investment strategy.

Brown is the third U.S. university to publicly disclose Bitcoin holdings after the University of Austin, which launched a $5 million Bitcoin endowment fund in collaboration with crypto custodian Unchained, and Emory University, which holds nearly $22 million in Bitcoin exposure through Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust and shares in Coinbase.

These developments highlight a broader trend of academic institutions cautiously but increasingly incorporating Bitcoin into their portfolios, leveraging regulated products that mitigate direct custody risks while capturing upside potential.

Universities capitalizing on Bitcoin's rebound

The timing of Brown’s investment coincides with a strong institutional buying wave that has helped Bitcoin’s price rebound from lows around $75,000 in early April to nearly $98,000 in early May.

BlackRock’s IBIT ETF itself has experienced record inflows, topping $58.7 billion in assets under management after 13 consecutive days of positive net purchases, including nearly $1 billion inflow in a single day on April 28.

Industry analysts attribute this rally largely to institutional demand, underscoring the growing acceptance of Bitcoin as “digital gold” within mainstream finance.

The university’s 2024 endowment report underscores its commitment to evolving investment strategies that demand high levels of expertise and investment acumen.

Brown’s move into Bitcoin via a regulated ETF reflects a prudent, forward-looking approach to portfolio diversification, aligned with the university’s mission to preserve and grow its endowment to support scholarships, research, and academic programs for future generations.

As Brown University becomes the first Ivy League institution to publicly embrace Bitcoin, this milestone may well mark a turning point in the digital asset’s march toward mainstream institutional adoption, especially among traditionally risk-averse sectors like higher education endowments.

With other universities and institutional investors following suit, Bitcoin’s role as a legitimate asset class continues to solidify, reshaping how endowments and funds allocate capital in an increasingly complex financial landscape.