tl;dr
Brown University has purchased nearly $5 million worth of BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), owning 105,000 shares as of March 31. It is the third US university to buy Bitcoin and the first Ivy League school to do so. Brown, with a $7.2 billion endowment and 11.3% returns in 2024, shows g...
Brown University has taken a historic step by becoming the first Ivy League school to invest in Bitcoin, acquiring nearly $5 million in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT). As of March 31, Brown held 105,000 shares, marking it as the third U.S. university after Emory University and The University of Austin to embrace Bitcoin. This move demonstrates growing institutional confidence in the cryptocurrency space.
With a substantial $7.2 billion endowment, Brown has achieved an impressive 11.3% return in 2024, equating to $728 million. Its endowment portfolio remains diversified across private equity, fixed income, real estate, and short-term investments, yet the inclusion of Bitcoin signals a significant shift toward digital assets among prominent institutions.
Meanwhile, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has enjoyed a remarkable streak of 13 consecutive days of inflows. On April 28 alone, the ETF attracted nearly $1 billion, pushing its total assets under management to an astounding $58.7 billion. Such vigorous inflows underscore the escalating interest and participation of institutional investors in Bitcoin.
Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley attributes Bitcoin’s recent price rally primarily to the influx of institutional buyers, reflecting a broader trend of growing adoption among traditional financial entities. Brown University's entry into the Bitcoin market not only adds prestige but also highlights the evolving landscape where digital assets are increasingly recognized as valuable components of diversified investment strategies.
As institutions like Brown continue to back Bitcoin, investors should consider how this momentum may influence market dynamics and long-term valuation. How might the participation of more established educational endowments impact Bitcoin's role in mainstream finance? The conversation around cryptocurrency's place in institutional portfolios is clearly just beginning.