Harvard and Brown Universities Boost Bitcoin ETF Holdings Significantly

Harvard allocates $116M to Bitcoin ETF, holding 1.9 million IBIT shares. Brown doubles Bitcoin ETF holdings to 212,500 shares worth $13 million. Spot Bitcoin ETFs see $403M inflows, driven largely by BlackRock’s IBIT. Some of the most prestigious US educational institutions, Harvard University and Brown University, have notably increased their investments in Bitcoin through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Harvard Management Company, which manages the Harvard endowment, disclosed in a recent SEC quarterly filing that it acquired $116 million worth of shares in BlackRock’s Bitcoin spot ETF (IBIT). As of July 30, Harvard held approximately 1.9 million IBIT shares. In monetary terms, this Bitcoin ETF position rivals and, in some cases, surpasses the university’s investments in major tech stocks such as Nvidia ($104 million), Meta ($120 million), Amazon ($234 million), and Microsoft ($310 million). This significant stake has made Harvard Management Company the 29th largest shareholder of IBIT among over 1,300 investors. Brown University also reported a substantial increase in its Bitcoin ETF holdings. The university held 212,500 IBIT shares valued at $13 million at filing, more than doubling its position from 105,000 shares at the end of March. Bloomberg stock analyst Eric Balchunas commented that, while large in ETF terms, the holdings are still ”microscopic” relative to Harvard’s overall portfolio. He added that American university endowments generally remain cautious about ETFs, with Harvard’s moves reflecting a more pragmatic approach to crypto exposure. On August 8, the US spot Bitcoin ETF sector recorded its third consecutive day of inflows, totaling $403 million, with nearly $360 million funneled into BlackRock’s IBIT. The net inflow for the preceding trading week stood at $246 million. This trend indicates growing institutional demand for regulated, accessible Bitcoin exposure through ETFs, reflecting broader acceptance of cryptocurrency assets in traditional investment portfolios.