Australians are increasingly setting up self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) largely to get exposure to crypto — registrations jumped nearly 70% in the 2024–25 financial year, according to data tracked by crypto exchange BTC Markets.
That surge has put pressure on the country’s bigger industry super funds to offer digital-asset options rather than leave crypto access to DIY investors. Hostplus — which manages more than AUD 96 billion and serves roughly 2.2 million members — is now considering exactly that. The fund’s chief investment officer, Sam Sicilia, confirmed Hostplus is weighing a proposal to let members access Bitcoin and other digital assets through ChoicePlus, its self-directed investment stream that allows members to tailor their retirement portfolios.
The offering could arrive as soon as the next financial year, officials say, but it remains contingent on regulatory approval and the resolution of outstanding consumer-protection requirements. Sicilia stressed the fund is willing to wait for a formal regulatory green light — “even if it means waiting another six months,” he said — noting that modest delays are not material for an institution focused on long-term investing.
If Hostplus moves ahead, the change would be significant: the fund ranks third in Australia by member count and fifth by total assets, giving any policy shift wide reach across the AUD 4.5 trillion national superannuation pool (total as of the September 2025 quarter).
Until now, SMSFs have been the main route for Australians seeking to put crypto into their retirement savings — a trend industry figures have noticed. Kate Cooper, Australian CEO of OKX, has pointed out that many of the new SMSFs were created specifically to hold digital assets, because major funds did not offer that option. AMP was an early large-fund entrant into the space, adding Bitcoin exposure via futures contracts in May 2024; Hostplus would be following that precedent if it proceeds.
The debate now centers on how big institutional super funds can add crypto exposure in a way that satisfies regulators and protects ordinary members, while offering an alternative to the growing number of savers willing to shoulder the administrative burden of an SMSF for access to digital assets. Regulators’ forthcoming guidance and any consumer-protection measures will likely shape how quickly and broadly major funds expand crypto options.
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