[U.S. Congress Urges SEC to Allow Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies in 401(k) Retirement Plans] According to Cryptopolitan, the U.S. Congress is urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve the inclusion of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in 401(k) retirement plans. On December 11, members of the House Financial Services Committee sent a letter to SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, urging him to update securities regulations so that digital assets can be treated as an investment category equivalent to other alternative investments in retirement accounts. Lawmakers pointed out that Americans saving for retirement deserve more investment options, and current regulations are outdated and overly restrictive, preventing millions of people from accessing new asset classes. The lawmakers also emphasized the need to redefine the standards for "qualified investors." Currently, strict investor qualification requirements limit participation in certain private and alternative investment markets. These plans are typically only available to wealthy or high-net-worth individuals. Congress now hopes to expand the rules to include individuals with professional licenses, relevant work experience, or those who can pass competency exams. The lawmakers further stated that the SEC should coordinate with the Department of Labor, which oversees retirement plan fiduciaries, to jointly develop rules. They believe the two major agencies need to find a safe and responsible way to include alternative assets as investment options in 401(k) plans.