[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee (이윤서)] It has been confirmed that the U.S. Labor Department is preparing a regulatory proposal to allow cryptocurrency investment in 401(k) retirement plans.

On March 26 local time, blockchain media outlet Cointelegraph reported that the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has completed its review of the Labor Department’s rule on alternative-asset investment in 401(k) plans. This is interpreted as a signal that the United States is moving to promote alternative investments that include digital assets.

The proposal is a follow-up measure to an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 7, 2025. The executive order included expanding alternative-asset investment in 401(k) pensions, including digital assets. Accordingly, the Labor Department is reviewing a plan to allow not only digital assets but also private equity funds and real estate investment. It plans to work with the U.S. Treasury Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to flesh out related regulations.

The Labor Department already signaled regulatory easing on May 28, 2025, by withdrawing 2022 guidance that said cryptocurrency investment in 401(k) plans should be reviewed with caution. The U.S. retirement pension market has grown to $48.1 trillion, and market volatility could increase if digital assets are included.

In Indiana, meanwhile, a bill is being pushed to allow state government pensions to invest in cryptocurrencies by July 2027. If the bill passes, digital assets such as bitcoin (BTC) are expected to be included in retirement pension portfolios.