The initiative follows Trump\u2019s August executive order instructing the Labor Department<\/a> to permit \u201calternative assets,\u201d including digital assets, when deemed appropriate by plan fiduciaries. The proposal could reshape the $25 trillion US retirement market by opening a new channel for Bitcoin-linked investment vehicles if enacted.<\/p>\n Executive orders can guide policy but lack statutory permanence. Future administrations or courts can reverse them. Downing\u2019s bill aims to fix that gap by legally binding the directive.<\/p>\n \u201cAlternative investments hold the transformative potential to supercharge Americans\u2019 financial security,\u201d Downing said. \u201cI applaud President Trump for his leadership to democratize finance.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Department of Labor has 180 days to propose rule changes enabling plan sponsors to include such assets. However, the ongoing government shutdown could delay progress.<\/p>\n Sponsored<\/p>\n Sponsored<\/p>\n About a month after Trump\u2019s order in September, nine lawmakers<\/a> urged SEC Chair Paul Atkins to accelerate implementation. They argued that 90 million Americans excluded from alternative assets deserve a stable, dignified retirement.<\/p>\n Industry groups, including the American Retirement Association, back the bill. They say fiduciaries\u2014not regulators\u2014should decide suitable investment options.<\/p>\n New Flows Could Reshape Crypto Markets<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/a82728ce0f4a49f195be7b98796f34cd.png\")
The Retirement Investment Choice Act, introduced in Congress \/ Source: downing.house.gov<\/p>\n