White House approves review of proposal to include cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plan

Cointelegraph reports that the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has completed its review of a Department of Labor (DOL) proposal to allow 401(k) trustees to include alternative assets, including digital assets, in the assessment of retirement plans. The OIRA marked the review's conclusions as "approved with changes" and listed the proposal as "economically significant." The Labor Department is next expected to issue the proposed rules, initiating a 60-day public comment period, before issuing final rules, usually revised. The completion of this review is a follow-up to Trump's August 7, 2025 executive order. The executive order requires federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including obtaining exposure to digital assets through specific investment vehicles, and requires the Labor Department to reassess regulations that restrict private equity, real estate and digital assets from entering defined contribution plans. It also requires the Treasury Department to work with the SEC to support rule revisions. In May 2025, the Labor Department had revoked a 2022 Bieden-era compliance guidance that required trustees to be "extremely cautious" when including cryptocurrencies in a 401(k), marking a fundamental shift in the federal government's attitude towards including digital assets in retirement plans. According to the Investment Companies Association, as of September 30, 2025, the size of financial assets in the U.S. retirement market has reached a record $48.1 trillion. In addition, the Indiana Legislature passed a bill on February 25 requiring some state retirement and savings plans to provide at least one cryptocurrency investment option by July 1, 2027.