Key Takeaways
- Brown University disclosed a $4.9 million investment in Bitcoin through BlackRock's IBIT ETF.
- The investment represents 2.3% of Brown's $216 million reported equity holdings.
- Other universities, including Austin, Stanford, and Emory, have also begun allocating to Bitcoin.
Brown University has revealed a $4.9 million investment in Bitcoin through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), marking the Ivy League school’s first known foray into the asset.
The disclosure was made in a 13F filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Details of the investment
The university acquired 105,000 shares of IBIT during Q1 2025, representing approximately 2.3% of its $216 million in reported equity holdings.
BlackRock’s IBIT & institutional interest
BlackRock’s IBIT, launched in January 2024 after SEC approval, has rapidly gained traction among institutions for providing direct Bitcoin exposure without the complexities of managing the asset.
As of March 31, IBIT held around 576,038 BTC, with net assets totaling $47.78 billion.
Growing university interest in Bitcoin
Universities have historically been cautious toward Bitcoin, but Brown joins a growing list of schools showing interest.
In February, the University of Austin announced a $5 million allocation to Bitcoin, held in partnership with Unchained and committed to a five-year minimum hold.
Stanford and Emory have also disclosed similar investments through regulated products.
Institutional behavior shift
The move signals a shift in institutional behavior, particularly among long-term asset managers who now use familiar investment structures like ETFs to gain Bitcoin exposure.
Bitcoin market context
At the time of Brown’s disclosure, Bitcoin was trading just under $97,000 with a market cap of $1.92 trillion, according to CryptoSlate.
