Trump to sign executive order today opening path for crypto, private equity in 401(k) plans: Bloomberg

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday directing the Labor Department to clear a path for cryptocurrency, private equity, and other alternative assets to be offered inside 401(k) retirement plans in his latest push to fold digital assets into the U.S. financial ecosystem.

Under the order, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer must revisit  Employee Retirement Income Security Act guidance and coordinate with federal agencies like the Treasury Department and Securities and Exchange Commission on possible rule changes to allow adding crypto assets to retirement accounts, according to Bloomberg.

The SEC is also asked to enable access to alternative assets for 401(k) investors, a switch that could give mainstream savers direct exposure to bitcoin exchange-traded funds and other crypto products. Trump's mandate targets roughly $12.5 trillion parked in defined-contribution accounts and instructs regulators to spell out how plan fiduciaries can safely include such assets.

The initiative marks the administration’s most aggressive push yet to weave digital assets into U.S. retirement policy. On July 17, The Block reported the White House was weighing an order to let crypto, gold, and private-equity into 401(k)s.  It also signals another regulatory rollback from past White House rules. Previously, the Labor Department withdrew Biden-era guidance that discouraged crypto in retirement plans, saying previous officials had “placed a thumb on the scale.”

Meanwhile, issuers have long moved for crypto inclusion in retirement programs, indicating demand despite regulatory uncertainty under Biden’s regime.  Fidelity became the first major provider to offer BTC in workplace plans in 2022.

If finalized, the order could channel billions of dollars into crypto markets over the next several years. However, plan sponsors will likely still need to vet volatility, custody, and valuation risks.