Key Takeaways:
President Trump may sign an executive order enabling crypto and alternative assets in U.S. 401(k) retirement plans.
The order would direct agencies to explore regulatory paths and remove remaining barriers.
White House says no decision is official unless announced by Trump himself.
The U.S. Labor Department already reversed prior restrictions on crypto in retirement accounts earlier this year.
U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to sign an executive order that could allow Americans to allocate 401(k) retirement savings into cryptocurrencies and other alternative assets, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The executive order, which could be signed as soon as this week, would direct federal agencies to assess how 401(k) plans can include digital assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside other alternatives like metals, infrastructure funds, and private credit.
The report, citing three sources briefed on the plans, suggests that the move is part of a broader effort to diversify retirement portfolios beyond traditional stocks and bonds.
White House: No Official Decision Yet
However, the White House cautioned that no decision is final. In a statement to Cointelegraph, White House spokesperson Kush Desai clarified:
“No decisions should be deemed official unless they come from President Trump himself.”
He added that Trump remains focused on "restoring prosperity for everyday Americans and safeguarding their economic future."
Policy Momentum Already Underway
While the executive order has yet to be finalized, policy momentum around crypto retirement investing is growing.
In May 2025, the U.S. Labor Department formally rescinded Biden-era guidance that restricted the inclusion of digital assets in retirement accounts. The reversal gave financial service providers more freedom to explore crypto as part of retirement offerings.
Fidelity, which manages $5.9 trillion in assets, already introduced a crypto-enabled retirement account earlier this year, allowing participants to allocate part of their 401(k) into digital currencies.
A $9 Trillion Market Opens Up
The U.S. 401(k) system held $8.9 trillion in assets across over 715,000 plans as of September 2024, according to official data. Traditionally, those plans include mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, and bonds.
If approved, adding crypto to that mix could unlock billions — if not trillions — in demand for digital assets from long-term, institutional retirement flows.
Global Trend Toward Crypto in Retirement
Other governments are also exploring digital assets in retirement strategies:
In March, North Carolina lawmakers introduced legislation allowing up to 5% of state pension funds to be allocated to crypto.
In Japan, the Government Pension Investment Fund, the largest of its kind globally, confirmed it was studying Bitcoin as a potential diversification tool.
In the UK, pension consultancy Cartwright revealed last year that an unnamed retirement scheme had already allocated 3% to Bitcoin.
If signed, Trump’s executive order would mark one of the most significant shifts in retirement finance policy — and potentially open the floodgates for crypto inclusion in one of the largest asset pools in the world.
