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The move would allow 401(k) plans to include digital assets and alternative assets, reshaping how Americans invest for retirement.
Key Takeaways
- Trump’s upcoming executive order would open 401(k) plans to crypto, gold, and private market investments.
- The move follows the reversal of Biden-era restrictions and passage of three crypto bills supported by Trump.
Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order this week that would open the $9 trillion US retirement market, including 401(k) plans, to crypto assets, gold, private equity, and other alternative investments, according to the Financial Times.
The order would direct regulators to identify and eliminate barriers preventing these asset classes from being included in professionally managed retirement portfolios.
The move builds on a broader push to bring digital assets into mainstream finance. In May, the Department of Labor rescinded a Biden-era rule that discouraged plan administrators from offering crypto exposure.
That momentum continued earlier today as the House passed three Trump-backed crypto bills: the GENIUS Act, which would establish a stablecoin framework; the Clarity Act, which defines who can legally issue stablecoins; and the Anti-CBDC Act, which bans the Federal Reserve from launching a central bank digital currency.
If signed, the executive order would dramatically expand what Americans can hold in their retirement plans, but not without controversy.
Critics warn that shifting savings into higher-fee, less-liquid assets like private equity and digital tokens could expose retail investors to greater risk. Unlike public stocks and bonds, these assets are harder to value, more difficult to trade, and offer less transparency, potentially leaving savers vulnerable.
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English (US) · 