Bitcoin News Today: Harvard Allocates $117M to BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Surpassing Stake in Alphabet

Harvard University has allocated $117 million to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), a spot Bitcoin ETF, marking it as the fifth-largest holding in its $53.2 billion endowment as of the end of Q2 2025. The investment surpassed the university’s previous $114 million stake in Alphabet, the parent company of Google [1]. This move highlights the growing confidence in regulated digital assets as part of a diversified investment strategy [2].

The allocation places Harvard among the top institutional holders of IBIT, including as the 29th-largest stakeholder in the fund [3]. Launched in January 2024, BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF has since attracted $84 billion in assets and holds 738,000 BTC—nearly 3.5% of the total Bitcoin supply [4]. The university’s decision underscores the appeal of ETF structures that provide institutional-grade custody, regulatory clarity, and market transparency, which are essential for managing exposure to volatile digital assets [5].

This trend is not limited to Harvard. Brown University also invested $13 million in IBIT during the same period, while Emory University allocated over $15 million to another Bitcoin-related fund in 2024 [6]. These developments reflect a broader institutional shift toward digital asset diversification, where traditional investors are beginning to view Bitcoin as a strategic asset class alongside traditional equities and commodities [7].

Harvard’s $117 million investment in IBIT constitutes roughly 8% of a $1.4 billion subset of its U.S. holdings, emphasizing the growing importance of Bitcoin in institutional portfolios [8]. Unlike direct ownership of Bitcoin, which carries regulatory and operational complexities, spot Bitcoin ETFs offer a compliant and transparent vehicle that aligns with institutional governance and compliance frameworks [9]. This approach not only reduces counterparty risks but also enhances the legitimacy of digital assets in long-term investment strategies.

As more universities and endowments follow similar investment paths, the institutional adoption of Bitcoin ETFs is expected to continue rising. This shift could further solidify the role of Bitcoin as a recognized and strategic investment asset in the broader financial markets [10].

Source:

[1] Yahoo, [https://finance.yahoo.com/news/harvard-pours-117m-bitcoin-etf-091919514.html](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/harvard-pours-117m-bitcoin-etf-091919514.html)

[2] AInvest, [https://www.ainvest.com/news/harvard-university-endowment-invests-117m-bitcoin-etf-surpassing-stakes-google-nvidia-2508/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/harvard-university-endowment-invests-117m-bitcoin-etf-surpassing-stakes-google-nvidia-2508/)

[3] FXLeaders, [https://www.fxleaders.com/news/2025/08/09/harvard-invests-116m-in-bitcoin-etf-marking-bold-shift-in-endowment-strategy/](https://www.fxleaders.com/news/2025/08/09/harvard-invests-116m-in-bitcoin-etf-marking-bold-shift-in-endowment-strategy/)

[4] CryptoTicker, [https://cryptoticker.io/en/harvard-buys-dollar117-million-in-bitcoin/](https://cryptoticker.io/en/harvard-buys-dollar117-million-in-bitcoin/)

[5] Bitcoinist.com, [https://bitcoinist.com/harvard-discloses-117m-blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf/](https://bitcoinist.com/harvard-discloses-117m-blackrocks-spot-bitcoin-etf/)

[6] The Institutional Turn to Bitcoin: Harvard's IBIT Stake and ..., AInvest, [https://www.ainvest.com/news/institutional-turn-bitcoin-harvard-ibit-stake-reshaping-endowment-portfolios-2508/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/institutional-turn-bitcoin-harvard-ibit-stake-reshaping-endowment-portfolios-2508/)

[7] AInvest, [https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-harvard-allocates-117m-blackrock-bitcoin-etf-surpassing-stake-alphabet-2508/](https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-harvard-allocates-117m-blackrock-bitcoin-etf-surpassing-stake-alphabet-2508/)

[8] CryptoDnes.bg, [https://cryptodnes.bg/en/harvards-bitcoin-bet-surpasses-gold-in-latest-portfolio-shift/](https://cryptodnes.bg/en/harvards-bitcoin-bet-surpasses-gold-in-latest-portfolio-shift/)