US Labor backs crypto in 401(k)s
The US Labor Department is advancing a rule to allow Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies inside 401(k) retirement plans under a Trump administration directive — a step that could unlock major new institutional flows into digital assets. The move will force plan administrators, custodians and compliance teams to build crypto-ready retirement offerings quickly if finalized. (banklesstimes.com)
The Department of Labor published the proposed rule titled “Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment Alternatives” in the Federal Register on March 31, 2026, assigning RIN 1210‑AC38 and setting a public comment deadline of June 1, 2026. (federalregister.gov) The DOL’s news release says the proposal establishes process‑based safe harbors for plan fiduciaries and targets more than 90 million Americans covered by participant‑directed plans. (dol.gov) The draft requires fiduciaries to “objectively, thoroughly, and analytically” evaluate factors including performance, fees, liquidity, valuation and complexity when adding alternative assets, rather than expressly approving any specific digital asset. (dol.gov) The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed White House review on March 24, 2026, and classified the proposal as “economically significant,” signaling a high‑impact rulemaking under EO 12866. (reginfo.gov) Investment Company Institute data show 401(k) plans held about $10.1 trillion as of December 31, 2025, the pool that the DOL rule would place squarely within the revised fiduciary framework. (ici.org) At the state level, Indiana’s House Bill 1042 — signed into law earlier this year — requires certain public defined‑contribution plans to offer at least one crypto investment option via a self‑directed brokerage account by July 1, 2027. (plansponsor.com)
