401(k) accounts are one step closer to fully embracing crypto, private equity

Site SearchClearSEARCHAdvanced Search ➔Search ResultsSymbolsNo results foundAll NewsArticlesVideoPodcasts0 ResultsNo Results FoundAuthorsNo results foundSectionsNo results foundColumnsNo results found 401(k) accounts are one step closer to fully embracing crypto, private equityA proposed Labor Department rule would give fiduciaries ‘safe harbor,’ protecting them from lawsuitsPublished: March 30, 2026 at 2:33 p.m. ETShareResizeListen(6 min)The median amount American workers have saved for retirement is $955, per the National Institute on Retirement Security. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphotoPeople saving for retirement through their 401(k) plans are one step closer to being able to invest in alternative assets such as private equity and cryptocurrency.On Monday, the Labor Department spelled out the steps managers of 401(k) plans should take when considering such alternative assets. The proposed rule establishes a set of “safe harbors” for plan fiduciaries, who have a duty to act in the best financial interest of their clients, to use when selecting investment alternatives. About the Author Jessica HallJessica Hall is a retirement reporter for MarketWatch. She was an Age Boom Academy Fellow with Columbia University and completed the Leadership Exchange on Ageism. She previously worked at Mainebiz, the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram, where she and her team earned a Scripps Howard Award for Community Journalism for a series on aging. She spent 17 years at Reuters, covering mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications and airlines. She started her career in Baltimore at The Daily Record and Baltimore Business Journal. She has freelanced for Barron’s and other publications.Show Conversation (0)Back To TopA Dow Jones CompanyCopyright © 2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie NoticeArchive MarketwatchCustomer CenterContact UsNewslettersNewsroom RosterVirtual Stock ExchangeMarketWatch GuidesCopyright PolicyManage NotificationsCancel My SubscriptionCompanyDow JonesCode of ConductCorrectionsReprints & LicensingDigital Self ServiceYour Ad ChoicesCorporate SubscriptionsAccessibilityDow Jones NetworkThe Wall Street JournalBarron'sInvestor's Business DailyFinancial News Londonrealtor.comMansion GlobalDow Jones Smart MoneyIntraday Data provided by FACTSET and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by FACTSET. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.