Harvard University now holds more BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF shares than it does Alphabet shares.
By Godfrey Benjamin
Editor Kirsten Thijssen
Updated
3 mins read
Harvard University is likely one of the latest holders of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), otherwise known as IBIT. According to a recent financial disclosure, the academic institution held $117 million worth of shares in IBIT by the end of Q2, 2025.
In the filing from Friday, Harvard’s $117 million worth of IBIT shares ranks as the fifth-largest investment. This automatically positions the IBIT investment ahead of the Ivy League university’s investment in Google’s parent company, Alphabet. To be precise, Harvard holds only about $114 million worth of Alphabet stock by the end of the fiscal period.
Meanwhile, Harvard’s largest investment for Q1, 2025 was in Microsoft shares. The university bagged up to $310 million worth of these shares.
Apart from how this recent disclosure represents Harvard’s versatile investment portfolio, it showcases IBIT’s improved traction. BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF has consistently maintained a dominant position among its core rivals, even for traditional funds. Its inflows have far outweighed those from other ETFs.
As of mid-July, Senior Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas reported $5 billion in daily trading volume for IBIT. This was double its previous average. Also, the net Assets Under Management (AUM) for the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF have crossed $80 billion. This achievement earned it the tag of the fastest-growing ETF of its kind.
Its total holdings are now around 706,000 BTC, surpassing that of Strategy, which is known for its strong Bitcoin accumulation. Interestingly, the IBIT shares have been reacting positively to the positive momentum surrounding its ecosystem. At press time, it traded at $66.13, even after a 1.05% plunge. Market analysts are looking forward to more gains for the spot Bitcoin ETF.
Analysts have projected that the shares could soar to around $77-$80, if market conditions improve. Such investment from the likes of Harvard and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, which topped $500 million in its IBIT holding, could trigger a further price increase for the spot Bitcoin ETF.
On the flip side, IBIT has recorded more outflows this period than it has in the past. Although the Bitcoin ETF market is bleeding generally, recording several million in outflows.
As of August 6, this class of ETPs had recorded four consecutive days of net outflows. Notably, the outflow streak followed a successful July for these funds, which recorded only five outflows in the month.
Bitcoin price has also not been at its best these past few days. From going above $123,000 about a month ago, the flagship cryptocurrency is currently trading at $117,829.81. This corresponds with only a 1.04% rally in price over the last 7 days.
This coin is struggling to make a comeback from the recent all-time high (ATH) that marked its hallmark. With improvements in Bitcoin price, more investors may choose spot Bitcoin ETFs to expand their portfolio.
🚨 $BTC NEWS: BlackRock Is Selling To Universities!
-Harvard declares $117 Million purchase of spot Bitcoin ETFs.
-Brown University now holds over $13,000,000 of $iBIT pic.twitter.com/WthLa7dWD4— Tim Warren (@TimWarrenTrades) August 8, 2025
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Benjamin Godfrey is a blockchain enthusiast and journalist who relishes writing about the real life applications of blockchain technology and innovations to drive general acceptance and worldwide integration of the emerging technology. His desire to educate people about cryptocurrencies inspires his contributions to renowned blockchain media and sites.
