Harvard Endowment Invests $443M In BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF

Harvard University’s endowment has disclosed a $443 million stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), according to a recent 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This investment makes it the fund’s largest known equity position.

The position comprises 6.8 million shares of IBIT and accounts for over 20% of Harvard’s reported U.S.-listed public equity holdings. This is notable as institutional investors often prefer private equity and real estate over exchange-traded funds.

The investment represents less than 1% of Harvard’s total endowment, which exceeds $55 billion. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas ranks Harvard among the top 20 holders of IBIT.

The move comes as the price of Bitcoin has fallen more than 5% in the past week, trading around $96,000. IBIT remains the world’s largest spot bitcoin ETF, holding approximately $75 billion in net assets according to SoSoValue data.

The decision to invest in IBIT signals a shift in strategy for Harvard’s endowment, although the impact on the broader cryptocurrency market is expected to be limited given the relatively small size of the investment within the university’s overall portfolio.

Disclaimer: What is written here is not investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are high-risk investments. Every investment decision is under the individual’s own responsibility.