β-Ytterbium borate (β-YbBO3) was synthesized under high-pressure in a Walker-type multianvil apparatus at 2.2 GPa and 1400 °C. The title-compound crystallizes in the trigonal calcite structure, space group R3̄̄c. Single crystal X-ray data yielded a = 492.1(2), c = 1630.5(9) pm, wR2 = 0.0344 for 165 F2 values and 11 variable parameters. Within the trigonal planar BO3 groups the B-O distance is 137.8(4) pm. The ytterbium atoms have a slightly distorted octahedral oxygen coordination (Yb-O: 224.4(2) pm)