Two major crypto exchanges, Coinbase and OKX, are now offering services that enable Australians to invest digital assets in their Self-Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSF)
Bloomberg reported that it affects people in Australia who run their own retirement funds.
The aim is to make it easier to add crypto to pensions by bundling custody, record keeping, and referrals to accountants and lawyers.
The services let investors avoid setting up and managing complex structures on their own.
Exchanges package SMSF access
Coinbase and OKX are not just letting users hold crypto, and they are selling a service. That service links users to accountants and law firms, and it also handles custody and keeps records that meet audit rules.
The idea is to reduce the homework for investors. Instead of building their own systems, people can use a ready-made option from a known exchange.
Size of the SMSF market
Self-managed funds make up about 25% of Australia’s retirement pool. The Australian Tax Office said SMSFs held about A$1.7 billion ($1.11 billion) in digital assets as of March 2025.
That number has jumped roughly 7x since 2021. This makes SMSFs the first part of the system to show real crypto exposure.
Early demand and limits
Coinbase told Bloomberg more than 500 people have joined its waiting list. Most of them plan to put up to A$100,000 ($65,150) each into crypto.
OKX launched a similar product in June, and the exchange said demand was higher than it expected. Both moves lower the barrier for everyday investors to use crypto inside retirement accounts.
Why this matters?
For many Australians, SMSFs are a big part of retirement savings. Making crypto easier to hold in those funds could widen access.
It also means more money in the system may flow into digital assets. That could change how funds are run and how advisers work with clients.
International context
Other countries are watching, as the United States has seen a slow opening to crypto in retirement plans.
Fidelity first tested a Bitcoin option for 401(k) plans in April 2022. That product lets participants put up to 20% of their savings into Bitcoin if employers agree. U.S. regulators pushed back at first.
The Department of Labour warned plan sponsors to use “extreme care” with crypto. That caution was lifted in May 2025, and then, President Donald Trump signed an order called “Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors.”
The order asked the Labour Department to review rules so alternative assets like crypto can be included in 401(k) plans.
Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer praised the move. She said, “The federal government should not be making retirement investment decisions for hardworking Americans, including decisions regarding alternative assets… This Executive Order further supports our efforts to improve flexibility and eliminate unfair one-size-fits-all approaches.”
Critics worried it might hurt savers. Chris Noble, policy director at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, said the change could “primarily benefit private equity firms at the expense of retirement security for millions of Americans.”
Regulatory worries at home
Regulators are also active in Australia, and AUSTRAC has told Binance Australia to find an independent auditor. The agency cited “serious concerns” about its money-laundering controls.
The subsidiary, operating as Investbybit Pty Ltd, must give AUSTRAC a list of proposed auditors within four weeks. That case shows regulators want closer checks when crypto firms handle customer funds.
The new services from Coinbase and OKX will test how many Australians want crypto in their retirement accounts. They will also test how well exchanges can meet audit and custody rules.
Also Read: ASIC Warns Crypto Exchange Bitget Over Unlicensed 125:1 Crypto Futures In Australia