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Cryptocurrencies are one step closer to being included in retirement plans following a White House review of a Labor Department proposal.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website says that on March 24 it concluded its review of the Labor Department’s proposal to offer fiduciary guidance for the inclusion of alternative assets, such as cryptocurrencies, private equity and real estate, in 401(k)s.

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The conclusion of the review process paves the way for the proposal to be published for public comments, which typically last 60 days and may be followed by amendments and another OIRA review before being finalized.

The proposal marks a major shift for the Labor Department, which had warned against including cryptocurrencies in 401(k)s in a now-repealed 2022 guidance, citing their volatility and regulatory uncertainty, among other factors.

The shift comes after President Donald Trump last August issued an executive order directing the Labor Department to reevaluate existing guidance to allow the inclusion of alternative assets in 401(k)s governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

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Beyond the Labor Department, Trump in the same order also directed the Securities and Exchange Commission to work toward allowing the inclusion of alternative assets in self-directed plans.

Cryptocurrency market observers widely see the opening of retirement accounts to cryptocurrencies as bullish, given the sheer size of the U.S. retirement market.

U.S. retirement assets reached $49.1 trillion as of Dec. 31, according to the Investment Company Institute. In comparison, the entire cryptocurrency market is worth $2.3 trillion, suggesting that even a small allocation from retirement plans could have a significant impact on the market.

With cryptocurrencies and other alternative assets moving closer to 401(k) inclusion, investors can explore building a diversified portfolio around their own ideas using Public's self-directed investing tools.

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This article Crypto One Step Closer To 401(k) Inclusion As Proposal Passes White House Review originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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