Key Takeaways
- • Hostplus, one of Australia's largest pension funds with more than A$150 billion ($105 billion) in assets, is considering offering bitcoin and other digital assets, according to Bloomberg.
- • The crypto exposure would be delivered through the self-directed Choiceplus option, which currently accounts for about 1% of the fund's total assets.
- • Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia said digital asset offerings could arrive as early as the next financial year, pending regulatory approval and internal design work.
- • Consumer protections and product structure remain under review, and the fund is considering a broader set of digital assets, potentially including tokenized exposures such as music rights.
- • The move would stand out in Australia, where pension funds have shown limited interest in crypto, and follows a U.S. shift toward permitting crypto in retirement plans.
Summary
Hostplus, one of Australia's largest pension funds, is looking to offer bitcoin and other digital assets investment options, according to Bloomberg. The fund manages more than A$150 billion ($105 billion) and is reportedly considering adding crypto exposure through Choiceplus, its self-directed option that allows members to manage a portion of their retirement savings. That self-directed segment currently represents 1% of the fund's total assets.
Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia told Bloomberg that digital asset offerings could arrive as early as the next financial year, depending on regulatory approval and internal design work. He said consumer protections and product structure remain under review. Sicilia cited member demand, noting that some members have asked why they cannot access cryptocurrency. Hostplus serves nearly 2 million members, with an average age in the mid-to-late 30s, per the report.
Sicilia said crypto has matured significantly since the fund first evaluated the asset class nearly a decade ago. The fund is now revisiting bitcoin as well as a broader range of digital assets, potentially including tokenized exposures tied to areas such as music rights. The Block has reached out to Hostplus for further information.
Australia's pension industry has so far shown limited interest in crypto. In 2024, AMP Ltd. took a cautious step by gaining indirect exposure through bitcoin futures. By contrast, the U.S. has moved more proactively: last August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order permitting 401(k) plans to include crypto, and Indiana recently passed legislation allowing crypto allocations within certain state retirement plans. Publisher coverage also notes that digital asset holdings in self-managed super funds have grown nearly 1,200% in five years to A$3.2 billion, while regulators have warned of crypto-related risks.
Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia told Bloomberg that digital asset offerings could arrive as early as the next financial year, depending on regulatory approval and internal design work. He said consumer protections and product structure remain under review. Sicilia cited member demand, noting that some members have asked why they cannot access cryptocurrency. Hostplus serves nearly 2 million members, with an average age in the mid-to-late 30s, per the report.
Sicilia said crypto has matured significantly since the fund first evaluated the asset class nearly a decade ago. The fund is now revisiting bitcoin as well as a broader range of digital assets, potentially including tokenized exposures tied to areas such as music rights. The Block has reached out to Hostplus for further information.
Australia's pension industry has so far shown limited interest in crypto. In 2024, AMP Ltd. took a cautious step by gaining indirect exposure through bitcoin futures. By contrast, the U.S. has moved more proactively: last August, President Donald Trump signed an executive order permitting 401(k) plans to include crypto, and Indiana recently passed legislation allowing crypto allocations within certain state retirement plans. Publisher coverage also notes that digital asset holdings in self-managed super funds have grown nearly 1,200% in five years to A$3.2 billion, while regulators have warned of crypto-related risks.
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