Australia’s pension fund Hostplus is mulling a new entry in crypto investment options amid a rise in digital asset exposure in the nation.
The financial giant, which sits on more than A$150 billion ($105 billion) in assets under management, plans on rolling out Bitcoin and other crypto investment options for its clientage, per a Bloomberg report from Tuesday.
The new service rollout, if approved, will allow users to purchase coins like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) on exchanges to invest in crypto-focused ETFs, stocks of blockchain companies, or staking for passive income.
Hostplus aims to add the crypto exposure via the self-directed option Choiceplus. At present the fund’s 1 percent wealth is invested in Choiceplus, making the exposure small yet significant.
The move comes at a time when virtual asset user base and demand has seen a steady rise in Australia, forcing pension funds to cautiously dip a foot in the service sea.
Australians are leading the world in per-capita interest in cryptocurrency, according to new web-traffic data. The country’s crypto market is also on a strong growth path, with projections showing it could expand nearly 20 percent a year and generate around 1.2 billion Australian dollars (roughly $780 million) in revenue by 2026, according to Statista.
Timeline for the new rollout
Digital asset investment options at Hostplus could be rolled out as early as the next financial year, pending regulatory approval and ongoing internal planning, Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia said in an interview with Bloomberg.
They also noted that details around consumer protections and the final structure of the product are still being worked through.
Additionally, Hostplus caters to nearly 2 million members with an average age spanning between mid-to-late 30s, per the report.
Pension funds explore crypto services
Australia’s pension sector still appears to be taking a conservative approach to investing in cryptocurrency.
In 2024, AMP Limited, a pension and wealth management company, made a tentative entry into the sector by indirectly investing in Bitcoin Futures, rather than investing directly in cryptocurrency.
However, as the industry evolves in the financial space, the need to adopt crypto services has become a necessity for most funds.
In contrast, in the United States, there is a more affirmative approach to further integrating cryptocurrency with 401(k) accounts.
In August of 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to permit 401(k) accounts to make investments in cryptocurrency.
In a recent development, lawmakers in Indiana have also approved a bill that allows a portion of their retirement portfolios to be invested in cryptocurrency.