Bloomberg: Australian Pension Funds Consider Offering Cryptocurrency Investment Options to Members

Odaily News Australian pension fund Hostplus' Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia stated that Hostplus, a major Australian pension fund managing over $105 billion in assets, is considering offering Bitcoin and other digital assets to its members through its Choiceplus self-directed investment option. Currently, approximately 1% of the fund's total assets are invested in Choiceplus.

Sam Sicilia mentioned that there is demand from some members for cryptocurrency investments, and digital products could be launched as early as the next fiscal year. However, he emphasized that any plan requires regulatory approval and is still in the design phase, expressing willingness to wait for regulatory permission even if it takes another six months.

The Australian pension industry is valued at A$4.5 trillion, with major funds previously showing limited interest in cryptocurrency investments. In 2024, AMP became the first major fund to announce investment in Bitcoin futures. Currently, about A$3 billion is invested in cryptocurrencies through self-managed super funds. Sam Sicilia noted that the cryptocurrency space has changed significantly since Hostplus first took notice nearly a decade ago, and the fund is now re-evaluating a broader range of digital currencies, including Bitcoin.