The White House approves the review of a proposal to include cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans

According to Cointelegraph, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) of the White House has completed its review of a proposal from the Department of Labor (DOL) regarding allowing 401(k) fiduciaries to include alternative assets (including digital assets) in the evaluation scope of retirement plans.

OIRA marked the conclusion of this review as "change approved" and categorized the proposal as "economically significant." The Department of Labor is expected to release proposed rules next, initiating a 60-day public comment period, after which final rules are typically published following revisions. The completion of this review is a follow-up to the executive order issued by Trump on August 7, 2025.

This executive order requires federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including gaining exposure to digital assets through specific investment tools, and mandates the Department of Labor to reassess regulations that restrict private equity, real estate, and digital assets from entering defined contribution plans, while also requiring the Treasury to collaborate with the SEC to support rule revisions.

In May 2025, the Department of Labor rescinded a compliance guideline from the Biden administration that required fiduciaries to be "extremely cautious" when including cryptocurrencies in 401(k) plans, marking a fundamental shift in the federal government's attitude towards including digital assets in retirement plans.

According to data from the Investment Company Institute, as of September 30, 2025, the financial assets in the U.S. retirement market have reached a record $48.1 trillion. Additionally, the Indiana state legislature passed a bill on February 25 requiring certain state retirement and savings plans to offer at least one cryptocurrency investment option by July 1, 2027.