Brown University Bought And Owns $4.9 Million Of BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF

By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/02 18:30:02

According to a new SEC filing today, Brown University, a private university based in Providence, Rhode Island, revealed a large position in BlackRock’ spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, as first reported by market analyst MacroScope. The position showed Brown held $4,915,050 in IBIT as of March 31, 2025, which sees the school become the third U.S. university to publicly announce a Bitcoin purchase after Emory & University of Austin (UATX), according to VanEck’s Matthew Siegel. “In a 13F filing this morning, Brown University reported owning 105,000 shares of the IBIT Bitcoin ETF as of March 31, valued at $4.9 million,” MacroScope posted to X. “This is a new position, which means it was acquired in January, February or March. The total value of all 14 positions in the filing is $216 million. This is an important one.” A growing number of U.S. universities are signaling confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term potential by adding the digital asset to their endowment portfolios or academic programs. Previously, Emory University, and the University of Austin (UATX) have each disclosed Bitcoin-related initiatives, further validating the cryptocurrency’s institutional appeal. Emory University was the first to disclose its Bitcoin holdings, revealed in an October 25 SEC filing, that it owned nearly 2.7 million shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF, initially worth $15.1 million. With Bitcoin reaching all-time highs since purchasing, Emory’s holdings may now exceed $21 million. Emory Investment Management (EIM) CIO Srinivas Pulavarti noted that the ETF conversion led to the public disclosure of their position. “There are some risks with doing it yourself,” said Emory’s Associate Professor of Accounting Matthew Lyle on buying the Bitcoin ETFs vs purchasing and holding the Bitcoin themselves. “Whereas if you use a company like Grayscale or BlackRock to do it for you... it’s unlikely that they’re going to steal your money because they’re well known.” In May 2024, the University of Austin also gained exposure to Bitcoin, by partnering with Bitcoin financial services firm Unchained to raise $5 million in Bitcoin for its endowment. “I’ve seen the values the organization places on free speech and on building a modern academic institution... and I’m thrilled to play a role in helping the university make bitcoin a part of its long term strategy,” stated Unchained CEO Joseph Kelly, who donated 2 BTC to the campaign. “University endowments are about serving students,” added Thomas Hogan, incoming Associate Professor at UATX. “And bitcoin provides a unique opportunity for advancing UATX’s commitment to cultivating future generations of leaders and innovators.” Source: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/brown-university-bought-and-owns-4-9-million-of-blackrocks-bitcoin-etf

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond experimentation in crypto markets. In 2025, AI-driven trading tools are increasingly used by traders who want better discipline, faster execution, and more structured decision-making in volatile markets. This guide explains how AI is actually used in crypto trading, step by step — with a focus on how these strategies are executed in real trading environments.

The first large-scale adoption of a "yield-bearing stablecoin" was in China

The digital renminbi has transitioned from "digital cash" to "digital currency".

Market Update — December 31

From South Korea and the OECD accelerating the implementation of crypto regulation and compliance frameworks, to the simultaneous development of TAO ETFs, privacy technologies, mining, and Bitcoin reserves, while security incidents and financial losses continue to rise, the crypto market has entered a new phase amid multiple challenges of "strong regulation + technological evolution + amplified risks."

Lighter Token Distribution Sparks Controversy, Zama Launches USDT Private Transfers, What is the Overseas Crypto Community Talking About Today?

What have foreigners been most interested in for the past 24 hours?

4 Years of Web3 Entrepreneurship: 7 Key Takeaways

Iteration speed, user mindset, and marketing ability are more important than perfect technology.

Can't Beat the Stock Market, Can't Outdo Precious Metals, Is Crypto Really Becoming the Bull Market for "Outsiders"?

Traditional assets are having a blast, but crypto assets are unexpectedly lagging behind.

$50 to $1 Million: How to Survive in the Meme Battlefield with 'Wallet Tracking'

My reliance is not on the luck of a single transaction skyrocketing, but on consistently capturing replicable market patterns.

Paradigm's Tempo Project Launches Testnet, Is It Worth Checking Out?

The current testnet already supports basic EVM functionality and has launched features such as payment channels, stablecoin gas mechanism, and decentralized exchange components.

When Everyone Uses AI Trading, Where Does Cryptocurrency Alpha Go in 2026?

In 2025, AI trading has become the default, but Alpha hasn’t disappeared — it’s been eroded by crowding, as similar data, models, and strategies cause traders to act in sync and lose their edge.
Real Alpha has shifted to harder-to-copy layers like behavioral and on-chain data, execution quality, risk management, and human judgment in extreme markets, where acting differently — or not acting at all—matters more than better predictions.

Without Narrative Power, Web3 Will Not Tap into the Vastness

In the Web3 space, the importance of storytelling far surpasses any other industry.

Key Market Intelligence as of December 31st, how much did you miss out on?

Long-standing domestic public blockchain NEO sees feud between two co-founders, with opaque finances as the core reason

Domestic AI projects are surging, while domestic public blockchains are bickering

Hong Kong Virtual Asset Trading Platform New Regulations (Part 2): New Circular Issued, Has the Boundary of Virtual Asset Business Been Redefined?

The market's potential to advance is now less about regulatory permissiveness and more about whether participants are truly ready to operate under a more transparent and rigorous ruleset.