Brown University has joined the list of U.S. institutions investing in Bitcoin via exchange-traded funds. According to its recent 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the university reported a $4.9 million position in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).
Brown University made the investment during the first quarter of 2025, amounting to 105,000 shares. In addition, the investment represents roughly 2.3% of the university’s $216 million equity holdings for that period.
Interestingly, this is the first time Brown University has revealed any allocation to a Bitcoin-related product. The investments reflect a broader trend among traditional institutions seeking indirect exposure to crypto assets through regulated financial instruments.
IBIT was launched in January 2024 and has since gone on to become a mainstream product. It allows investors to track Bitcoin’s price performance without holding the asset directly. As of the end of March 2024, the fund managed over $47 billion in assets and held around 576,000 BTC, according to public data.
Most U.S.-based universities have been cautious with crypto exposure, but a few, including Brown, are now stepping into the market via ETFs. This shows that most institutions have an appetite for regulated Bitcoin investments.
$7.2 BILLION BROWN UNIVERSITY JUST BOUGHT $4,900,000 WORTH OF #BITCOIN ETF
ENDOWMENTS ARE BUYING BTC!!! 
pic.twitter.com/sNIEG0BUVk
— Vivek
(@Vivek4real_) May 2, 2025
Universities show interest in Bitcoin
Brown University is not the only institution showing interest in a Bitcoin product. The University of Austin already included a Bitcoin fund in its $200 million endowment strategy. The school views Bitcoin as a long-term investment, similar to real estate.
Emory University holds $15M in Bitcoin, making them the first university to disclose a Bitcoin ETF position 
pic.twitter.com/LgKj6POLni
— The Bitcoin Express (@The_BTC_Express) October 28, 2024
Emory University also holds nearly 2.7 million shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust. Students at Stanford University allocated 7% of their Blyth Fund to Bitcoin.
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