Harvard University’s $53 billion endowment has added Bitcoin to its directly held portfolio, regulatory filings show. A Form 13F dated 30 June discloses that Harvard Management Company owns 1.9 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) valued at about $116.7 million, giving the university a larger position in the cryptocurrency fund than in several high-profile technology stocks it holds. The purchase makes Harvard the 29th-largest shareholder of IBIT out of roughly 1,300 investors, according to ETF analysts. The move signals a notable shift toward alternative assets for the Ivy League institution, which in the same quarter also boosted its exposure to gold while trimming some Big Tech holdings. Brown University is following a similar path. A separate SEC filing shows the Providence-based school now owns 212,500 IBIT shares worth around $13 million, almost twice the amount it reported in March. Brown first entered the fund in May and has steadily increased its allocation. The twin disclosures highlight the widening institutional uptake of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds approved by U.S. regulators in early 2024. BlackRock’s product has attracted more cash than any rival crypto vehicle and now manages about $86 billion. Using a regulated ETF allows endowments to gain Bitcoin exposure without taking on the operational complexities of storing the tokens directly.