The move is a critical step in President Donald Trump’s push to open 401ks — the term for US retirement savings accounts — to private investment firms who see the system as a crucial market to draw in assets, particularly as large pensions and endowments pull back.

The new White House order directing regulators to expand access to alternative investments in 401(k) plans, like crypto or privately owned companies adds a new layer of risk to the retirement portfolios for ordinary investors that they may not fully understand,

Employers would have to decide to offer the plans — and experts anticipate many might be reluctant, as they could be held liable for losses.