Trump: Let Crypto, Private Equity Access Your 401(k)

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

The Trump administration on Monday announced plans to open 401(k) retirement plans to investments like crypto and private equity that are subject to far fewer safeguards than publicly traded assets like stocks and bonds.

Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 03:30 PM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink

Trump has spent much of his second term using the U.S. presidency as a giant ATM for himself, his family, and his cronies. Now he's devised a way for the cryptocurrency and private equity industries to do the same. trib.al/cPlmGK0

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-- The New Republic (@newrepublic.com) Mar 31, 2026 at 9:15 AM

Comments

"I went looking for trouble, and I found it."
Charles Ponzi

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-03-31 10:27 AM

This would have worked better as a rug pull a year ago, before the economy started collapsing.

I can't imagine anyone dumping their 401(K) into crypto in current market conditions. But I'm sure some people will.

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-31 12:11 PM

Pump and Dump of the month?

#3 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2026-03-31 12:25 PM

As long as I have the option to opt in and my money is automatically invested in these instruments, I say go for it.

If someone is stupid enough to place their retirement funds in these investments, they deserve to have their a&& handed to them.

#4 | Posted by jpw at 2026-03-31 12:39 PM

Suboptimal idea for a population among which, as of a couple of years ago, nearly 70% of the adults believed in angels.

#5 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-03-31 12:52 PM

"...a form of gambling unsupported by any productive economic activity."

My grand-nephew asked me what (Bitcoin) produced.

Bigger fools was my response.

#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-03-31 12:55 PM

If someone is stupid enough to place their retirement funds in these investments, they deserve to have their a&& handed to them.
#4 | Posted by jpw

Yeah that's a ------ way to provision a nation's financial footing for its retirees.

It's like the government ordering banks to leave handguns lying around the lobby, and then saying if anyone tries to rob the bank and gets shot by security guards, well it's their own dumb fault.

#7 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-31 01:10 PM

A fool and their money, snoofy, a fool and their money.

#8 | Posted by jpw at 2026-03-31 03:18 PM

For the umpteenth time: cryptocurrencies are vehicles for criminal activity and naked speculation--nothing more or less. Private equity investments favor only those running the fund in question. For those who don't know, the typical PE fund manager gets 2% of the total fund size and 20% of annual profits. There is no way that a retail investor understands both the risk undertaken by the fund, or the fees taken by the fund manager.

The typical investor who seeks to build and grow a retirement account is counseled to diversify, invest only in what they understand, take on risk only to their personal tolerance level, and take a long, patient view. The administration's action puts many unwitting investors at risk. I have no problem with those who invest money outside their retirement funds in crypto or PE, so long as they understand the risk involved, but all others should stay away...

#9 | Posted by catdog at 2026-03-31 03:54 PM

A fool and their money, snoofy, a fool and their money.
#8 | Posted by jpw

I dunno about that, I made $10K in crypto and it only cost me $20K! (Joking.)

#10 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-31 03:59 PM

"For the umpteenth time: cryptocurrencies are vehicles for criminal activity and naked speculation--nothing more or less."

And that's a huge value proposition!

Being able to conduct commerce at scale behind the taxman's back is worth trillions of dollars, globally.

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-31 04:02 PM

An idiot that bankrupted casinos can go ---- off.

#12 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-03-31 09:41 PM

From the cited article ...

... The stakes are enormous: If Americans collectively shifted just 1 percent of their 401(k) assets into crypto and private equity, those industries would be flooded with more than $100 billion in new capital. ...

... and how much income would Pres Trump's crypto companies stand to make?

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-03-31 10:26 PM

Another question I have ...

Is this just for 401(k) retirement plans, or might, say, Roth IRAs also be included?

#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-03-31 10:28 PM

More from the cited article ...

... Free-market zealots have long wanted to gamble with the retirement savings of Americans. Republicans regularly fantasize about privatizing Social Security, handing over a wildly popular pillar of the social safety net to the whims of Wall Street. But the public strongly opposes the idea, so the president has turned to the next best thing.

It's the latest brazen example of Trump socializing risk and privatizing profit through his own pitiless brand of market capitalism"and yet another opportunity for him to haul off with loot on the backs of the American people.

It should shock no one that Trump is delivering a giant gift to the crypto industry. He and his family own billions of dollars' worth of crypto and related investments, and will personally benefit as swarms of new buyers push up the price of those assets. ...

#15 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-03-31 10:29 PM

Right, let the world's biggest pyramid scam get into our retirement plans.
What could happen?

#16 | Posted by e1g1 at 2026-04-01 09:20 PM

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