Several U.S. senators have called on Fidelity Investments to reconsider allowing bitcoin in 401(k) retirement plans. Abigail Johnson, a Fidelity CEO, stated that “the recent implosion at FTX, a cryptocurrency trading platform, has made it abundantly obvious the digital asset sector has serious problems.”
US Senators Demand Fidelity to End Offering Bitcoin in Retirement Plans
Three U.S. senators sent a letter to Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson Monday regarding the financial services firm’s bitcoin offerings in 401(k) retirement plans. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D.MA), Richard J. Durbin, and Tina Smith signed the letter.
Reiterating their concerns about Fidelity allowing bitcoin exposure in retirement plans, the lawmakers stressed: “Once again, we strongly urge Fidelity Investments to reconsider its decision to allow 401(k) plan sponsors to expose plan participants to bitcoin.”
They detailed: “Since our previous letter, the digital asset industry has only grown more volatile, tumultuous, and chaotic — all features of an asset class no plan sponsor or person saving for retirement should want to go anywhere near.” The senators continued:
The recent implosion of FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange, has made it abundantly clear the digital asset industry has serious problems. There are many charismatic wunderkinds and opportunistic scamsters in the industry. Self-proclaimed investment advisors promote financial products with little or no transparency.
Crypto exchange FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Nov. 11. The firm allegedly mishandled customer funds and is currently being investigated by several U.S. authorities, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
“The ill-advised and deceptive actions of a few have a direct effect on the value of bitcoin and other digital assets,” they warned. The full impact of FTX’s damage continues to unfold. However, it is spreading rapidly across the wider digital asset market. .”
Bitcoin is not an exception
” “In light of these risks, and continuous warning signs,” we urge Fidelity Investments again to do what is best — seriously reconsider its decision for plan sponsors to allow bitcoin exposure to plan members,” Johnson was told by the lawmakers.
By many measures, we are already in a retirement security crisis, and it should not be made worse by exposing retirement savings to unnecessary risk. Investment strategies that are based on the idea of catching lightning or driven by fear of missing out are doomed to failure.
Fidelity’s decision to offer bitcoin investments in 401(k) plans has troubled the U.S. Department of Labor. “We have grave concerns with what Fidelity has done,” said Ali Khawar, acting assistant secretary of the Labor Department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has also warned that crypto is “very risky,” emphasizing that it is unsuitable for most retirement savers.
Senator Warren already sent a letter to Johnson earlier this year demanding answers about the financial firm’s decision to allow bitcoin exposure in retirement products. In September, a number of U.S. lawmakers introduced a bill called the Retirement Savings Modernization Act to allow “workers to diversify assets” in 401(k) plans.
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What do you think about U.S. senators urging Fidelity to reconsider allowing bitcoin investments in 401(k) plans? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Kevin Helms
A student of Austrian Economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests include Bitcoin security, open source systems, network effects, and the intersection of cryptography and economics.
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