Two U.S. Senators Push Labor Department to Withdraw Proposed Rule to Include Cryptocurrency in 401(k) Plans

According to The Block, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, along with Representative Robert Scott, sent a letter to the Department of Labor requesting the withdrawal of a proposed rule that would allow 401(k) retirement plans to include alternative assets such as cryptocurrencies. The lawmakers stated in the letter that the proposed rule would create a so-called safe harbor for fiduciaries offering alternative investments, which would strip retirement savers of long-standing investor protections and encourage the use of riskier, more complex, and expensive investments.

The Department of Labor announced the proposed rule in March, providing guidance steps for 401(k) plan managers to include alternative assets (including private equity, real estate, and digital assets) in their portfolios. Lawmakers expressed concerns about the volatility of digital assets and cited a Federal Bureau of Investigation report indicating that crypto-related fraud losses could exceed a record $11 billion in 2025. They also pointed out the Trump family's conflicts of interest in the crypto space, stating that the Department of Labor's proposed rule could enhance the president's interests at the expense of ordinary workers and retirees.