US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor to permit cryptocurrency investments in 401(k) retirement plans. According to Cointelegraph, the order requires regulators to remove restrictions that previously discouraged retirement plan administrators from offering crypto as an option for savers.
The move is seen as part of the administration’s push to expand financial freedom and diversify investment choices for American workers. The order directs the Department of Labor to update its guidance within a set timeframe to ensure compliance and clarity for plan sponsors and fiduciaries.
Supporters think that including digital assets in retirement portfolios might unlock greater long-term growth, particularly as cryptocurrencies become increasingly accepted in the mainstream. Critics counter that this shift would expose savers to unpalatable volatility and increased financial risk. Cointelegraph pointed out that the move comes as part of a wider effort to get crypto into mainstream finance and is an explicit shift in federal policy with regards to digital assets.
Satoshi-Era Whale Moves Final 40,000 BTC to Galaxy Digital
A long-dormant Bitcoin whale has moved its remaining 40,192 BTC, worth about 4.77 billion dollars, to Galaxy Digital, completing a massive transfer of 80,201 BTC in just four days. According to Cointelegraph, the coins were originally mined or acquired around 2011, making this one of the most significant on-chain moves from early Bitcoin holdings in recent years.
On-chain analytics firms observed that while most of the BTC went to Galaxy Digital, around 6,000 BTC were sent to Binance and Bybit, possibly for trading or liquidity purposes. Experts believe the whale could be realising profits after more than a decade or reorganising funds for security and future ventures. Komodo CTO Kadan Stadelmann explained to Cointelegraph that such transfers could possibly not indicate an urgent sale but instead Galaxy Digital serving as a custodian and not as a buyer.
The action occurs as Bitcoin is trading at near all-time highs of more than 122,000 dollars, greatly boosting the value of such holdings against their original purchase price. Market observers point out that big transfers from early wallets tend to draw interest, as they tend to shape sentiment and short-term direction. Anonymnous trader speculated Galaxy Digital could have bought the coins, keeping some and selling off others for operational needs.
BTC Digital Shifts Strategy, Pivots Away From Bitcoin Towards Ethereum
Listed Nasdaq firm BTC Digital, a blockchain technology and mining company with the ticker BTCT, has made a big strategic shift to fully pivot away from Bitcoin towards Ethereum. Cointelegraph reports the company has taken in 6 million dollars, including the purchase of 1 million dollars worth of Ether immediately, and will turn all current and future Bitcoins into ETH.
The company told Cointelegraph that its objective is to make Ethereum the foundation of its operations, citing the network’s versatility in decentralised finance, smart contracts, and tokenisation. BTC Digital aims to expand its ETH reserves to tens of millions of dollars by year-end and launch a staking program to earn rewards. Cointelegraph noted that the company will also venture into DeFi, stablecoin initiatives, and tokenisation of real-world assets as it shifts from a mining-oriented business model to an asset strategy based on yield.
The announcement comes at a time when Ether's price is approaching six-month highs, trading around 3,600 dollars, a move that has further fueled investor attention towards Ethereum's staking and liquidity features. Industry observers see BTC Digital's shift as part of a larger trend where firms are diversifying away from Bitcoin into Ethereum to tap its wider utility and revenue streams.
