Hostplus Eyes Bitcoin Investment Option for Retirement Funds

TheNewsCryptoPublished on 2026-03-24Last updated on 2026-03-24

Abstract

Hostplus, an Australian superannuation fund managing A$150 billion in assets, is planning to offer bitcoin and other digital asset investment options through its self-directed Choiceplus program. This would allow members to allocate a portion of their retirement savings to crypto, pending regulatory and internal approvals. Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia cited growing member demand and the maturation of the crypto market as key reasons. The fund is also considering a broader range of digital assets, including tokenized exposures like music rights. While the Australian pension industry has been cautious, the U.S. has seen proactive steps to include crypto in retirement plans. The offering could be available as early as the next financial year.

An Australian industry superannuation fund, Hostplus, is seeking to provide bitcoin and other digital asset investment options, as reported by Bloomberg.

The superannuation fund is responsible for handing over A$150 billion in assets and is now seeking to add crypto exposure through the self-directed option, Choiceplus. Hostplus permits members to self-manage a portion of their retirement savings, now estimated at 1% of the fund’s overall assets.

Digital asset offerings on Hostplus could come as early as the upcoming financial year, relying on regulatory approval and internal design work, Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia mentioned in an interview with Bloomberg.

He also added that issues like consumer protections and product structure are still under review. There is surely a demand from some of our members who write in and say, ‘Why can’t I have access to cryptocurrency?’

The report further mentions that Hostplus serves around 2 million members, having an average age in the mid-to-late 30s, according to the report. The official mentioned crypto has matured prominently since the company’s first evaluation of the asset class around a decade ago.

The Cautious And Proactive Steps

The fund is now re-examining not just Bitcoin but a wider range of digital assets, possibly including tokenized exposures associated with areas like music rights. The pension fund industry from Australia has already shown restricted interest in crypto exposure.

Two years ago, pension and wealth firm AMP Ltd mentioned it took a careful step into the asset class by having indirect exposure via bitcoin futures. At the same time, the United States has been proactive in widening the role of crypto in retirement systems.

In August 2025, President Donald Trump signed an official order allowing 401(k) plans to comprise crypto, and Indiana recently passed legislation permitting crypto allocations within certain state retirement plans. However, Hostplus has not revealed more information than this.

Highlighted Crypto News Today:

Bitcoin (BTC) in a Tug of War: Can Bulls Reclaim Strength, or Will Bears Strike Again?

TagsBitcoinpensionretirement

Related Questions

QWhat is Hostplus seeking to provide for its members according to the Bloomberg report?

AHostplus is seeking to provide bitcoin and other digital asset investment options for its members.

QThrough which specific option will Hostplus members be able to gain crypto exposure?

AMembers will be able to gain crypto exposure through the self-directed option called Choiceplus.

QWhat are the two main factors that will determine when digital asset offerings become available on Hostplus?

AThe availability of digital asset offerings relies on regulatory approval and the completion of internal design work.

QWhat was the cautious step taken by AMP Ltd into the crypto asset class two years ago?

AAMP Ltd took a careful step by gaining indirect exposure to crypto through bitcoin futures.

QWhat significant U.S. policy change regarding retirement plans and crypto was mentioned, and who signed it?

AIn August 2025, President Donald Trump signed an official order allowing 401(k) plans to comprise cryptocurrency.

Related Reads

From Banning Doubao to Embracing Honor: Why Did WeChat Suddenly 'Change Its Face'?

The article explores the sudden shift in WeChat's strategy towards AI assistants from mobile phone manufacturers, transitioning from strict opposition to active collaboration. For over a year, WeChat fiercely resisted attempts by phone AI assistants (like ByteDance's Doubao in late 2025) to control its features via GUI automation ("simulated clicking"), citing security and data control concerns. This stance created a significant barrier for system-level AI integration. Now, Tencent has initiated A2A (Agent-to-Agent) partnerships with major phone brands like Honor, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo. This model allows a phone's system AI (e.g., Honor's YOYO) to parse a user's voice command and send a structured request directly to WeChat's own internal AI agent via secure APIs. WeChat then executes the action (e.g., sending a message) and returns the result. The article attributes Tencent's "change of face" to strategic pressure. While leading in social app usage, Tencent trails rivals like ByteDance and Alibaba in standalone AI app popularity. WeChat, with its vast mini-program ecosystem, is Tencent's key asset for an AI comeback. The upcoming WeChat AI agent aims to handle tasks like booking and payments within the app. However, phone system assistants remain the primary AI entry point for most users. The A2A collaboration allows Tencent to extend WeChat's AI reach to this crucial system layer while maintaining control over its core functions and data. For phone manufacturers, embracing A2A is a pragmatic move. The GUI route proved unviable due to WeChat's blocks. A2A offers a compliant path to integrate a vital service, enhancing their AI assistants' usefulness. It allows them to focus on developing their own AI ecosystems for other services while cooperating on WeChat access. The collaboration is framed as a mutual, strategic necessity: Tencent gains a distribution channel, and manufacturers gain a key functionality. The partnership relies on a "dual authorization" mechanism for security, requiring both user and app consent for each action. While questions about long-term data privacy practices remain, experts note A2A is more secure and compliant than GUI automation. Ultimately, this cooperation is seen as a tentative, calculated truce. Tencent's long-term goal is to make WeChat an AI-powered "service OS." Phone manufacturers aim to make their system AI the central user interface. Their paths may converge or clash in the future, but for now, the A2A deal represents the opening chapter in the battle for the AI-era user入口, driven by necessity and strategic calculus on both sides.

marsbit58m ago

From Banning Doubao to Embracing Honor: Why Did WeChat Suddenly 'Change Its Face'?

marsbit58m ago

On-Chain Figures on the Eve of Kickoff: 1.6 Billion Traded Before the World Cup Even Begins

"On-Chain Numbers on the Eve of the World Cup: $1.6 Billion Traded Before Kick-off" Analysis of on-chain markets before the 2026 FIFA World Cup reveals significant crypto integration into football. The most striking figure is the approximately **$1.6 billion** in total trading volume on the single "World Cup Winner" contract on the Polymarket prediction market platform, accumulated before a single match was played. This represents explosive growth for a sector whose annual volume surged from ~$16B in 2024 to ~$64B in 2025. The ecosystem is maturing beyond speculation. Key developments include: 1) **Infrastructure upgrades** like Polymarket's migration to native, regulated USDC stablecoin for settlements; 2) **Reliable data oracles**, such as Chainlink, being used to resolve real-world match outcomes on-chain; and 3) **Official recognition**, with FIFA appointing its first-ever "Prediction Markets" partner. Over 100 contracts now cover everything from the outright winner to individual match results and even non-sporting risks like venue relocation. This evolution marks a fundamental shift. While crypto firms are absent from FIFA's top-tier sponsor list, the technology has deeply penetrated the tournament's financial and predictive infrastructure through regulated stablecoin settlements, decentralized oracles, and new official partnership categories. The regulatory landscape remains complex and varies by jurisdiction, but on-chain markets for the World Cup are already a multi-billion-dollar reality.

marsbit1h ago

On-Chain Figures on the Eve of Kickoff: 1.6 Billion Traded Before the World Cup Even Begins

marsbit1h ago

From SpaceX's IPO to the Future of Crypto: Which Crypto Sectors Will Host the Trillion-Dollar Narrative?

From the SpaceX IPO, which targets a $750 billion raise at a $1.77 trillion valuation, we can extrapolate capital flow trends relevant to crypto. The focus shifts from speculative narratives to foundational infrastructure and real-world asset (RWA) integration. Key crypto sectors poised to benefit include: 1. **AI Infrastructure**: The narrative is moving from consumer-facing AI applications to underlying, scarce resources like compute power and decentralized GPU networks (e.g., TAO, RENDER, AKT, IO). These protocols are positioning as the essential "picks and shovels" providers for the AI economy. 2. **Real-World Assets (RWA)**: Beyond tokenized treasury bonds, RWA's future lies in on-chain equity and pre-IPO assets like SpaceX. This could democratize access to high-growth assets and reshape global capital flows, benefiting infrastructure projects like ONDO, LINK, and Plume that facilitate issuance, data, and liquidity. 3. **Core Financial Infrastructure**: Stablecoins, payment networks, and DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) are critical for settling the future on-chain economy. Their role expands from internal trading tools to foundational layers for global finance, AI systems, and real-world asset networks, leading to potential value reassessment. In summary, the next cycle may prioritize long-term infrastructure value—AI compute, asset tokenization networks, and settlement layers—over short-lived application hype, mirroring the broader market's shift towards funding the foundational systems of the future.

marsbit2h ago

From SpaceX's IPO to the Future of Crypto: Which Crypto Sectors Will Host the Trillion-Dollar Narrative?

marsbit2h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures
活动图片