Registrations of self-managed super funds (SMSFs) in Australia rose by almost 70% in the 2024-25 financial year, with many of these new accounts created for one specific purpose: purchasing. Bitcoin And other crypto assets.
Which leap It reflects growing frustration — retirement savers want exposure to digital assets, and most of the nation’s largest pension funds haven’t offered that.
Pressure from members is mounting
Host Pluswhich manages more than $96 billion in assets for its members, is now moving to change that.
The fund’s chief investment officer, Sam Cecilia, confirmed that it is considering a plan to grant members Access to Bitcoin and other digital assets through the ChoicePlus investment option – a self-directed flow that allows people to shape their own retirement portfolios.
Hostplus ranks third among Australian pension funds by member count, according to financial comparison site Canstar.
Reports It suggests the offering could be available as soon as the next fiscal year, pending regulatory approval and resolution of consumer protection requirements that are still being worked out.
“There is definitely demand from some of our members who are writing and saying: ‘Why can’t I access cryptocurrency?’” Cecilia said.
The fund is ranked third in Australia by number of members and fifth by total assets. Its membership of 2.2 million gives any policy shift significant influence across the country’s pension system.
A gap left open by the big funds
Until now, self-managed super funds have been the main route for Australians who want cryptocurrencies in their retirement savings. These are accounts that are created and managed by individuals – a practical alternative to traditional funds managed by institutions.
The sharp rise in SMSF registrations tracked by cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets indicates how many savers were willing to bear this administrative burden just to gain access to digital assets.
BTCUSD now trading at $71,125. Chart: TradingView
Kate Cooper, Australian CEO of OKX, recently said that an increasing number of new SMSFs are being created specifically to hold digital assets – because the option simply does not exist within mainstream funds.
Hostplus wouldn’t be the first big box to enter this space. AMP made the move again in May 2024, adding Bitcoin exposure to its strategy through futures contracts. Hostplus follows a path that has at least one set of fingerprints on it already.
Image: Da-kuk via Getty Images
The design phase still faces obstacles
The plan is not finalized. Regulatory approval is still required, and the fund is prepared to wait for it, Cecilia said.
“We would like to get regulatory approval, even if it means waiting another six months,” he said, adding that six months does not represent a meaningful delay for an institution built on long-term investing.
Australia’s superannuation fund totaled nearly A$4.5 trillion at the end of the September 2025 quarter – a figure that underscores how much weight any shift in fund behavior has on the broader financial system.
Featured image from MarkRubens/Getty Images, chart from TradingView
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