Trump administration moves closer to allowing crypto in 401(k) retirement plans

What happened

The Labor Department filed a proposed rule with the White House regulatory review office on Thursday. It would guide 401(k) managers considering alternative assets, including cryptocurrencies, and follows a presidential order to make a path for their inclusion. The rule is under consideration and is not final.

Proposed

Global impact / market context

If finalized, the guidance could shape how retirement plan managers weigh the potential for higher long-term returns and broader diversification against higher expenses. That may influence whether they offer crypto and other alternative assets, potentially directing some retirement savings toward those investments.

Analyst inference

The filing advances a regulatory process but does not itself permit crypto in 401(k) plans. The department had previously issued guidance discouraging managers from considering crypto, then reversed that guidance; the proposed rule now awaits White House review before publication.

Confirmed

What to watch

1. Watch for the White House review outcome and any published rule, which would show whether the proposal advances and what guidance plan managers would receive. Analyst inference
2. Look for the final criteria on weighing potentially higher expenses against long-term net returns and broader diversification, the trade-offs highlighted in the filing. Confirmed
3. If guidance is finalized, plan managers’ decisions to add crypto or other alternative assets could determine whether retirement savings flow into those investments. Analyst inference

Evidence

• theblock.co