Lawmakers Push SEC To Implement Trump’s Crypto Retirement Plan

Several lawmakers in the United States have urged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to take the next step in accelerating last month’s executive order from President Donald Trump to accelerate the inclusion of crypto and other alternative assets in US 401(k) retirement plans.

Lawmakers Call On SEC To Accelerate Crypto in 401(k) Plans

The Executive Order (EO) signed by President Trump in August 2025 aims at democratizing access to alternative assets, including cryptocurrencies, in U.S. 401(k) plans. As part of the EO, the SEC and the Department of Labor (DOL) were tasked with updating their regulations to allow every American access crypto in their retirement plans.

While the EO demanded haste, there have been no announcements about the implementation from regulators. To this effect, nine lawmakers wrote a letter on Monday, September 22, asking the SEC Chair Paul Atkins to help accelerate the President’s executive order to allow alternative assets like crypto in US 401(k) retirement plans. 

Paul Atkins was asked to provide the Secretary of Labor with “swift assistance” and make any necessary adjustments to its current regulations and guidance. According to the letter, 90 million Americans are now prohibited from using their 401(k) plans to invest in unconventional assets like cryptocurrencies. 

The senators are pushing the SEC to amend existing regulations so that ordinary investors can easily diversify their retirement funds in other assets, including Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

French Hill, the House Financial Services Committee Chairman, and Ann Wagner, the Subcommittee on Capital Markets Chairman signed the letter. The seven other Congress members behind the letter include Andrew R. Garbarino, Frank D. Lucas, Marlin Stutzman, Michael V. Lawler, Mike Haridopolos, Troy Downing, and Warren Davidson. 

401(k) Plans Could Spark Inflows for the Crypto Market

According to the Investment Company Institute, the total U.S. retirement assets were $45.8 trillion as of June 30, 2025. The EO will directly affect government-defined benefit (DB) plans, which were estimated at $9.3 trillion. 

The inclusion of crypto investment in this massive industry could spark huge inflows into the cryptocurrency market. Assuming that only 1 percent of the current $9.3 trillion in U.S. 401(k) funds were invested in cryptocurrency, an estimated 93 billion could enter the crypto market.

This would be a big jump over the $60.6 billion that has already flowed into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) since they were launched in 2024. The acceptance of digital assets as a long-term investment strategy and store of value may be further accelerated by the increased legitimacy of cryptocurrency in retirement plans.

What This Means

Lawmakers asking the SEC and DOL to bring their regulations and guidance up to date with the August EO could open up millions of Americans to access restricted alternative assets like cryptos in their retirement plans. 

In addition to the potential massive inflows that could arise from this, the inclusion of crypto in retirement plans could be a watershed moment for the crypto industry as it continues to push for integration into traditional financial systems.