Harvard University Endowment Makes Major Move Into Bitcoin With $443M IBIT Investment

Harvard University’s endowment has taken a surprising step into the crypto markets, revealing a $443 million position in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). The disclosure, made through the endowment’s latest 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, shows that Harvard held 6.8 million IBIT shares as of Q3 2025—making the spot bitcoin ETF its single largest known U.S.-listed equity holding.

The investment represents just over 20% of Harvard’s publicly reported equity portfolio, an unusually high weighting for an ETF in an institutional portfolio. Traditionally, major university endowments prioritize private equity, venture capital, real estate, and long-term direct investments over publicly traded funds. Harvard’s decision to take such a significant position in a bitcoin ETF signals a notable shift in how leading institutions view digital assets.

Although the $443 million allocation is substantial within the public equity portion of the portfolio, it still accounts for less than 1% of Harvard’s total endowment, which exceeds $55 billion. Even so, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas notes that the holding places Harvard among the top 20 investors in IBIT, the world’s largest spot bitcoin ETF with nearly $75 billion in assets under management, according to SoSoValue.

The disclosure arrives during a turbulent period for the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin recently fell more than 5% over the past week, trading near $96,000. Despite short-term volatility, institutional confidence in bitcoin continues to grow, with Harvard’s investment adding further legitimacy to the asset class. The move underscores the increasing recognition of bitcoin as a potential store of value and strategic long-term allocation for major financial players.

Harvard’s bold entrance into IBIT may influence other large endowments and institutional investors to reassess their crypto exposure. As digital assets continue gaining traction across global markets, the university’s investment marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing integration of bitcoin into traditional finance.