Hostplus Eyes Bitcoin Investment Option for Retirement Funds

TheNewsCryptoPublicado em 2026-03-24Última atualização em 2026-03-24

Resumo

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

Perguntas relacionadas

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.

Leituras Relacionadas

In Jinjiang, Fujian, a Storage Super Unicorn Lies Quiet

In Fujian's Jinjiang, a city known for sportswear, lies a quiet semiconductor giant: Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co. (JHICC). Once a promising domestic DRAM manufacturer alongside Yangtze Memory and ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), its journey was derailed in 2018 when the U.S. placed it on an Entity List and filed criminal charges for alleged trade secret theft. This halted production for years. A turning point came in February 2024 when a U.S. federal court found JHICC not guilty. However, it had lost crucial time. While CXMT soared to become a top-valued A-share company in 2024, JHICC, with an estimated valuation of 80 billion RMB, was just restarting. Its current output is primarily customized DDR4 chips, not the advanced DDR5/HBM demanded for AI, but it still benefits from the broader memory chip upcycle. JHICC's story is tied to Chen Zhengkun, a veteran engineer who left Micron to lead the venture. Founded in 2016 with state-backed funding, JHICC partnered with Taiwan's UMC to develop DRAM technology. Rapid progress was cut short by the U.S. actions, which Micron initiated, partly due to its heavy reliance on the Chinese market. Post-sanctions, Chen's team worked to rebuild the production line with reduced reliance on U.S. technology. According to its records, JHICC achieved small-scale production and revenue growth under immense pressure. It now focuses on the stable "niche" DRAM market (e.g., TVs, routers) with a monthly capacity of ~40,000 wafers, aiming for 60,000 by 2026. It holds over 1,000 patents but remains on the Entity List. For Jinjiang, investing in JHICC was a bold industrial leap. The local government provided unwavering financial and logistical support during the crisis, helping the company survive. JHICC has become the anchor for a growing local semiconductor cluster. Though its scale lags behind domestic peers, JHICC's persistence symbolizes a hard-won foothold in a global market long dominated by Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Having missed one boom, it seeks a place in the new AI-driven memory supercycle.

marsbitHá 2h

In Jinjiang, Fujian, a Storage Super Unicorn Lies Quiet

marsbitHá 2h

Trading

Spot
活动图片