Emory University further increased its bitcoin (BTC) holdings during the third quarter, signaling a growing interest in the cryptocurrency among institutional investors. The private research university based in Georgia reported holding over 1 million shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust as of September 30, according to a 13F filing released Thursday. At that time, the stake was valued at nearly $52 million, though its current value has declined with the recent drop in bitcoin prices.
At the end of the second quarter, Emory held just under 500,000 shares in the fund, marking a significant increase in its position. The university first disclosed its investment in Grayscale’s trust in October 2024, when the stake was valued at just over $15 million.
In addition to the Grayscale trust, Emory maintained a smaller position in BlackRock’s spot bitcoin ETF, valued at approximately $290,000, with no changes during the third quarter. The endowment managers also demonstrated interest in other hard assets, including a new investment in BlackRock’s iShares Gold Trust (IAU), acquiring nearly $79 million worth of shares by the end of the third quarter.
Emory’s endowment modestly increased its equity stake in cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) as well. It now holds nearly 4,500 shares, valued close to $1.2 million, up slightly from 4,312 shares reported last year.
Endowments are long-term investment funds typically established to support non-profits such as universities, hospitals, or religious institutions. Similar to pension funds, they generally favor conservative investment strategies, so their increasing interest in bitcoin — especially through regulated ETFs — marks a noteworthy shift.
Emory’s broader embrace of bitcoin ETFs appears to be part of a gradual but steady thaw among institutional investors toward cryptocurrency. While bitcoin remains a relatively small portion of its overall portfolio, the size and pace of Emory’s allocations suggest a growing comfort with the asset, particularly when held within familiar investment vehicles like ETFs.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/tech/emory-university-adds-to-holdings/