President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that could allow Americans to include cryptocurrencies, gold, and private equity in their 401(k) retirement plans.
Author: Sahil Thakur
According to the Financial Times, President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order that could allow Americans to include cryptocurrencies, gold, and private equity in their 401(k) retirement plans, a move that could reshape long-term savings for millions.
According to sources briefed on the matter, the order could be signed as early as this week. It will direct regulators to identify and eliminate barriers preventing professionally managed retirement plans from offering these alternative assets.
The order would enable digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with precious metals and private capital funds, to join traditional stock and bond offerings in tax-deferred retirement accounts.
Trump’s push builds on prior actions taken by his administration. In May, the Department of Labor reversed a Biden-era rule discouraging crypto in 401(k) plans. The new order is seen as a major step toward mainstreaming crypto investments.
“President Trump is committed to restoring prosperity for everyday Americans and safeguarding their economic future,” the White House told the Financial Times.
The change could unlock a wave of new demand for private capital groups like Blackstone, Apollo, and BlackRock, which have struggled to raise funds from pensions and endowments in recent years. These firms hope to tap into hundreds of billions of dollars in new assets from retirement savers.
Major players are already preparing:
The order will also ask the Department of Labor to consider a “safe harbor” provision to protect 401(k) administrators from legal risks when offering less liquid investments.
This executive order follows a surge of legislative progress on crypto. The House of Representatives recently passed three landmark bills:
The GENIUS Act is now headed to Trump’s desk. The others await Senate deliberation.
Trump has long promoted crypto as a key plank in his economic strategy. He credits the industry with helping secure his 2024 election victory and has actively supported scaling back enforcement actions against major crypto players.
His family has also invested heavily in the sector, with Trump Media & Technology Group reportedly purchasing over $2 billion in crypto, including Bitcoin, and launching its own stablecoin.
The move to open retirement plans is part of a broader federal strategy to integrate crypto across industries. Recent agency actions reflect that:
With this executive order, Trump signals that he intends to make the U.S. the global leader in crypto policy, starting with everyday Americans’ retirement savings.
| Date | Initiative | Description | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2025 | Exec Order: Digital Finance Leadership | Revoked anti-crypto policies, created Presidential Working Group on Digital Assets | Signaled shift to pro-crypto policy, legal clarity push |
| Mar 6, 2025 | Strategic Bitcoin Reserve | Launched Bitcoin reserve, banned Treasury sell-off, created Digital Asset Stockpile | Made U.S. largest BTC state holder; boosted investor confidence |
| Mar 7, 2025 | White House Crypto Summit | Gathered crypto industry and regulators, OCC clarified bank crypto custody rights | Elevated industry voice, coordinated bank-level crypto engagement |
| Apr 2025 | SEC & CFTC Appointments | Appointed Paul Atkins (SEC), Brian Quintenz (CFTC)—both pro-crypto | Created regulatory clarity, pro-innovation leadership |
| Mid-2025 | CBDC Ban & Crypto-friendly Legislation | Banned CBDCs, enabled crypto in national bills incl. defense funding | Strengthened legal protection for crypto industry |
| Mid-Jul 2025 | GENIUS Act (Stablecoin Regulation) | Passed bipartisan stablecoin law with audits, reserves, and consumer protection | Legitimized stablecoins; broad bipartisan support |
| Early 2025 | 401(k) Crypto Access | Backed legislation to allow crypto in retirement accounts | Opened up $9T market to crypto; institutional exposure rising |
| Early 2025 | Appointment of Crypto Czar & Allies | Named David Sacks as Crypto Czar, unified AI & crypto policy strategy | Unified leadership; high-level access for crypto firms |
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