Simply put
- Brown University recently revealed an exposure to nearly $5 million in Bitcoin through ETF shares.
- The university held 105,000 shares of BlackRock’s IBIT ETF as of March 31.
Ivy League institution Brown University has invested significantly in Bitcoin through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), as indicated in the latest 13F-HR filing with the SEC.
A report filed on Friday details that the university’s holdings of 105,000 IBIT shares were valued at roughly $4.9 million at the end of the first quarter on March 31. Interestingly, these shares were absent from past quarter filings.
Currently, the stock is valued around $5.8 million. While this represents a substantial investment, it remains a relatively small portion of the university’s total donations, which have exceeded $7.2 billion by the end of fiscal year 2024.
“The financial markets have become increasingly complex over the decades, and as donations have grown, so has Brown’s investment strategy,” a university spokesperson stated. “Now, our professional investors employ a wide array of strategies that necessitate a high degree of expertise.”
Brown’s portfolio encompasses a variety of assets, including investments in stocks, bonds, private firms, real estate, and various products.
Interestingly, Brown isn’t the first university to venture into Bitcoin investments.
In May 2024, Austin University (UATX) announced initiatives without collaborating with Bitcoin Service enterprises, introducing their own $5 million Bitcoin fund.
Then, in October, Emory University reported an exposure of nearly $16 million in Bitcoin through the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust. Even though their recent holdings report showed some stock reductions, rising asset prices pushed their Bitcoin exposure to approximately $22 million, alongside over $1 million in Coinbase stocks.
This trio of universities signifies a growing trend among institutions trying to tap into the vast crypto market.
On the price front, Bitcoin reached nearly $98,000 for the first time since February, recovering from a low of about $75,000 in early April, and is currently trading at $96,330.
I attempted to reach out to Brown’s investment office for any comments but was unable to make contact before publishing.
