Brown University has taken a major step into the digital asset world by revealing a multimillion-dollar position in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), according to a newly released SEC filing.
The 13F report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday shows that the Ivy League institution purchased 105,000 shares of the Bitcoin ETF, valued at $4.9 million as of March 31. The holdings did not appear in the university’s previous quarterly disclosures, indicating this is a fresh move into crypto exposure.
Since the end of Q1, the value of those shares has appreciated, now sitting at approximately $5.8 million. While the allocation is relatively small compared to Brown’s overall endowment—reported to be over $7.2 billion at the close of its 2024 fiscal year—it marks a notable endorsement of Bitcoin from one of the oldest academic institutions in the United States.
“Over the past few decades, the financial markets have significantly increased in complexity, and as the value of the endowment has grown, Brown has adapted,” its 2024 endowment report reads.
“Today, a team of professional investors pursues a diverse set of investment strategies that require high levels of expertise and investment acumen.”
The filing also illustrates Brown’s broader investment approach, which includes a mix of traditional assets like equities and bonds, along with private equity, real estate, and now digital assets via a regulated ETF.
Universities Increasingly Turn to Bitcoin Exposure
Brown University isn’t the only academic institution exploring digital assets. Over the past year, several U.S. universities have made strategic moves to gain Bitcoin exposure, signaling a broader shift in institutional sentiment toward the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
In May 2024, the University of Austin (UATX) established a $5 million Bitcoin endowment in collaboration with financial services firm Unchained. The initiative positioned Bitcoin not just as a speculative asset, but as a long-term store of value within university finance.
By October, Emory University in Atlanta followed suit, revealing nearly $16 million in Bitcoin exposure through the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust. Recent disclosures show that Emory’s exposure has since risen to roughly $22 million, fueled by Bitcoin’s price appreciation, despite a reduction in total shares. The university also holds over $1 million in Coinbase shares, the largest publicly traded U.S. crypto exchange.
These moves place Brown, UATX, and Emory at the forefront of an institutional adoption wave that now includes public companies, sovereign wealth funds, and national governments.
Bitcoin’s continued momentum has supported this trend. After falling to a local low of $75,000 in April, BTC has since rebounded, hitting $97,000 on Friday—just shy of its all-time high. As of writing, it is trading around $96,330.
Quick Facts
- Brown University acquired 105,000 shares of BlackRock’s IBIT ETF, worth $4.9 million as of Q1 2025.
- The ETF shares have since appreciated to approximately $5.8 million.
- This marks Brown’s first recorded Bitcoin-related investment, per SEC filings.
- Brown joins a growing list of universities exploring regulated crypto exposure through ETFs.
