President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will let Americans invest their 401(k) retirement savings in cryptocurrency, private equity and real estate, marking a major shift in retirement investment options.

The order directed the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Labor Department and Treasury to update their rules to give investors access to these alternative assets.

While this move could give alternative asset managers access to a huge new pool of retirement money, some experts worried it might put Americans' retirement savings at risk.

President Donald Trump holds charts as he speaks about the economy in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

"It's going to be slow going," Ted Rossman, sen

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