Overview

• The order tasks the Labor Department, SEC and Treasury with rewriting ERISA guidance to permit crypto, private equity and real estate in defined-contribution plans
• Allowing even a small allocation to alternative assets could channel portions of the $12.5 trillion retirement market into non-traditional investments
• Major asset managers such as BlackRock are gearing up to launch retirement funds featuring private equity and credit ahead of the regulatory overhaul
• Critics warn that higher fees, limited liquidity and weaker disclosure requirements in alternative investments may expose savers and plan sponsors to investor-suitability lawsuits
• The move follows Trump’s stablecoin legislation, Strategic Bitcoin Reserve initiative and appointment of a crypto and AI czar as part of a broader effort to legitimize digital assets