AFT slams U.S. crypto oversight bill, warns of retirement risks

Key Concerns Regarding the Crypto Market Integrity Act

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  The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) states that a new U.S. crypto bill could expose retirement savers to higher risk and weaker protections.
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  The union urges lawmakers to prioritize fiduciary standards over industry lobbying as crypto gains political backing.
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  This debate underscores a widening policy divide on how to regulate digital assets in retirement and securities markets.

AFT Opposes Crypto Bill, Flags Threat to Retirement Savers

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has sharply criticized a proposed “Crypto Market Integrity Act.” The union argues that this legislation could open the door for retirement plans and other long-term savings vehicles to take on outsized exposure to digital assets. The AFT states that the bill’s structure risks eroding long-standing investor protections by relaxing oversight in critical areas such as disclosures, conflicts of interest, and sales practices surrounding crypto products.

According to public comments reported this week, AFT leaders warned that the measure could “profoundly” affect teachers and other workers if employers or plan sponsors begin routing 401(k) and pension assets into volatile crypto markets without robust safeguards. They maintain that the legislation appears more aligned with industry priorities, such as expanding access and easing compliance burdens, than with protecting ordinary savers from market manipulation, platform failures, or extreme price swings.

Union Presses Fiduciary Duty Amidst Washington's Growing Interest in Crypto

AFT is urging lawmakers and regulators to reinforce, rather than dilute, fiduciary standards that govern how retirement and advisory professionals handle client assets. The union argues that any framework that encourages or normalizes crypto allocations in retirement plans should first require clear suitability tests, stress-tested risk disclosures, and explicit accountability when investors suffer losses tied to mis-selling or poor risk management.

This intervention comes as Washington’s stance toward digital assets shifts, with the current U.S. administration positioning the country as a global hub for crypto innovation and stablecoin activity. This political tailwind has already helped unlock regulatory changes around spot Bitcoin and Ethereum products. It is likely to shape how Congress and agencies such as the SEC, CFTC, and Department of Labour treat crypto in brokerage and retirement channels.

The debate over the Crypto Market Integrity Act and its potential impact on retirement savings is a microcosm of a larger, evolving dialogue in Washington about digital assets. While the AFT warns against relaxing fiduciary standards and exposing workers to the volatility of the crypto market, other influential voices are actively championing a significant national role for Bitcoin.

Senator Cynthia Lummis champions a forward-leaning policy stance on digital assets, advocating for a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR). She argues that using Bitcoin, with its limited supply and growth potential, as a strategic asset similar to gold and oil could significantly offset the nation’s soaring $37 trillion debt and bolster America’s financial resilience. This proposal highlights a core policy disagreement: whether digital assets should be primarily viewed and regulated as a consumer protection risk, or embraced as a critical component of the country’s future national fiscal strategy. This viewpoint stands in contrast to the AFT’s position.