The US White House Approves Proposal to Include Cryptocurrency in 401(k) Retirement Plans Review

**March 26 News Brief** The U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the White House completed its review of a Department of Labor (DOL) proposal on March 24, Cointelegraph reported. The proposal would allow 401(k) trustees to include alternative assets—including digital assets—in retirement plan evaluations. OIRA labeled the review outcome “changes accepted” and categorized the proposal as “economically significant.” The DOL is expected to release a proposed rule next, launching a 60-day public comment period before publishing a final rule following revisions, as is standard practice. This review follows an August 7, 2025 executive order from former President Trump, which directed federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans—including exposure to digital assets via specific investment vehicles. The order also required the DOL to reassess regulations restricting private equity, real estate, and digital assets from defined contribution plans, while instructing the Treasury Department to collaborate with the SEC to support rule amendments. In May 2025, the DOL revoked a 2022 compliance guideline from the Biden administration that required trustees to be “extremely cautious” when adding cryptocurrency to 401(k) plans—signaling a fundamental shift in the federal government’s stance on digital assets in retirement plans. Data from the Investment Company Institute shows U.S. retirement market assets hit a record $48.1 trillion as of September 30, 2025. Separately, Indiana’s 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.