Trump opens $9tn US retirement market to crypto

Donald Trump has just signed a landmark executive order that will reshape how millions of Americans build wealth by opening the doors of the $9 trillion US retirement market to cryptocurrencies, private equity, and other alternative assets.

This move, which will allow crypto exposure within 401(k) plans for the first time, is one of the boldest steps yet to embed digital assets at the heart of the global financial system.

“This is a defining moment not just for crypto, but for the entire future of finance,” says Nigel Green, chief executive of deVere Group.

“The world’s largest economy is saying, in effect, that digital assets now belong in the core of long-term wealth strategies. This has global implications.”

The executive order instructs US regulators to revisit and update existing frameworks that have long restricted access to private market and crypto investments in professionally managed retirement accounts.

More than 90 million US workers participate in 401(k) plans, historically focused on equities and bonds. For decades, these plans have excluded entire categories of high-growth assets, including Bitcoin and other digital currencies, despite growing investor interest.

“This is yet another breakthrough moment for crypto,” Nigel Green continues.

“Institutional capital from retail retirement accounts had been the final frontier. Once that capital starts flowing in, the integration of digital assets into traditional portfolios becomes irreversible.”

The US is not acting in isolation. Other major economies are expected to follow suit. In Europe, regulators are already fielding calls to modernize pension rules.

In Asia, where digital assets are booming and adoption rates remain high, the pressure to match Washington’s momentum is already building.

The timing of this announcement is critical. Digital currencies have surged in 2025, with Bitcoin reaching fresh all-time highs, driven by renewed corporate adoption, sovereign interest, and the green light from regulatory regimes.

“Retirement savings are one of the most conservative pools of capital in existence. If crypto can earn its place there, it can earn its place anywhere,” notes the deVere CEO. “This order breaks the psychological and regulatory barrier that’s kept crypto in a sandbox, but now it’s mainstage.”

That main stage is vast: US 401(k) accounts represent the deepest individual investment pool in the world. Even a modest portfolio allocation to crypto could unleash hundreds of billions of dollars in new demand for digital assets.

Where that demand builds, infrastructure, innovation, and broader acceptance follow.

At the same time, this move signals an acceleration in the “political embrace of crypto.” Trump’s decision comes after years of lobbying by private market players, but it was the inclusion of digital assets, according to senior officials, that ultimately helped push the policy over the line.

For investors, this policy shift opens up opportunity, but also new responsibilities. Crypto markets remain volatile, and the risks differ from those of traditional stocks and bonds.

However, with appropriate diversification and professional oversight, Nigel Green argues, the long-term benefits are compelling.

“Investors want exposure to the future. They don’t want to miss out. This move allows them to build that exposure inside their most important financial vehicles, with guidance and safeguards.”

The impact won’t stop at US borders as capital markets are global. Pension funds, sovereign wealth managers, and asset allocators in every major economy will now have to rethink their own frameworks in light of this development.

“Crypto is no longer just an option for speculative traders or hedge funds. It’s becoming part of the financial DNA of today’s world,” concludes the deVere CEO.

About deVere Group

deVere Group is one of the world’s largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.