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Investment Fundamentals

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Exploring 401(k) and Private Markets: New Possibilities Ahead

For investors who’ve long been limited to public stocks and bonds, this is a big step. And for Crowd Street, it’s a welcome one. We’ve spent more than a decade expanding access to private markets for individual investors.

But the announcement also raises questions: When will this access become available? How much of a 401(k) will be eligible for private investments? And how much control will investors actually have?

As the leading platform for self-directed private markets investing, we wanted to share our take on what this moment means and what to expect next.

When Will Private Markets Be Available in 401(k)s?

First, an important caveat: the details of how this policy will be implemented — and when — are still taking shape. But based on recent reporting and early rollout efforts from plan administrators like Empower [1], we can start to get a sense of where things are headed.

That uncertainty is part of the story. Even with a policy directive in motion, nothing will change overnight. Regulators still need to issue guidance, and plan administrators will need to decide whether to act on it. Industry leaders have already said broader adoption may require additional reforms, like litigation protection for fiduciaries or clearer standards for financial advice [2].

Still, none of that takes away from what this moment represents: growing recognition that individual investors may soon have broader access to private markets. That’s been Crowd Street’s purpose since day one — and it’s encouraging to see the federal government beginning to move in the same direction.

And for investors who are ready now, there’s no need to wait months or years. Crowd Street already gives individuals self-directed access to private markets, through a transparent process that’s been applied across thousands of investments. You can join the 300,000 investors already ahead of the curve.

That brings us to another question we hear a lot: will these new 401(k) offerings look anything like what Crowd Street offers today?

Will New 401(k) Options Offer the Same Control as Crowd Street?

In short: probably not.

While the exact structure of these 401(k) products is still taking shape, early signals point to passive, pre-packaged exposure. Based on what firms like Empower are piloting, most investors won’t be selecting individual funds or evaluating strategies. Instead, a financial advisor or algorithm will allocate a small portion of their retirement portfolio into a blended “alternatives” sleeve. And that’s only if your employer chooses to offer it [3].

That’s still a big improvement from today’s 401(k) options. And for many investors, it may be a step in the right direction: more diversification, more opportunity.

But that model is fundamentally different from what Crowd Street offers.

We don’t just give access to private markets; we give investors control. Crowd Street is built for people who want to be active participants in how they invest. Our members review sponsors’ strategies, choose their own deals or funds, and decide how to allocate their own capital.

Don’t Wait for Washington

Progress is progress. And as public markets continue to shrink, it’s more important than ever that individual investors have access to the assets institutions have relied on for decades [4]. But for now, the slow rollout of private markets in 401(k)s feels like a first step, not a sea change.

As regulators work through the challenges ahead, we’ll keep doing what we’ve done for years: building a trusted, transparent platform that delivers private market offerings directly to accredited investors.

If you’re ready now, so are we.

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CrowdStreet, Inc. (“Crowd Street”) offers investment opportunities and financial services on this website.

Broker dealer services provided in connection with an investment are offered through CrowdStreet Capital LLC (“Crowd Street Capital”), a registered broker dealer, Member of FINRA/SIPC. Information on all FINRA registered representatives can be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Capital's Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS).

Advisory services are offered through CrowdStreet Advisors, LLC (“Crowd Street Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crowd Street and a federally registered investment adviser. Crowd Street Advisors provides investment advisory services exclusively to private funds and does not otherwise provide investment advisory services to the Crowd Street Marketplace or its users. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Advisors’ Form ADV.

Crowd Street and its affiliates do not endorse any of the opportunities that appear on this website. Investment opportunities available through Crowd Street are speculative and involve substantial risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. Diversification does not guarantee investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss. All investors should consider their individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor of their choosing when deciding if an investment is appropriate. Private placements are illiquid investments, in that they cannot be easily sold or exchanged for cash, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment.

Performance information presented on this website has not been audited or verified by a third party. By accessing the Crowd Street Marketplace, you agree to be bound by its Terms of UsePrivacy Policy, and any other policies posted on this website. The Crowd Street Marketplace is only intended for accredited investors.
For more information, see Legal Documents and Important Disclosures.

Ⓒ 2025 Crowd Street Ltd. All Rights Reserved

CrowdStreet, Inc. (“Crowd Street”) offers investment opportunities and financial services on this website.

Broker dealer services provided in connection with an investment are offered through CrowdStreet Capital LLC (“Crowd Street Capital”), a registered broker dealer, Member of FINRA/SIPC. Information on all FINRA registered representatives can be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Capital's Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS).

Advisory services are offered through CrowdStreet Advisors, LLC (“Crowd Street Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crowd Street and a federally registered investment adviser. Crowd Street Advisors provides investment advisory services exclusively to private funds and does not otherwise provide investment advisory services to the Crowd Street Marketplace or its users. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Advisors’ Form ADV.

Crowd Street and its affiliates do not endorse any of the opportunities that appear on this website. Investment opportunities available through Crowd Street are speculative and involve substantial risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. Diversification does not guarantee investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss. All investors should consider their individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor of their choosing when deciding if an investment is appropriate. Private placements are illiquid investments, in that they cannot be easily sold or exchanged for cash, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment.

Performance information presented on this website has not been audited or verified by a third party. By accessing the Crowd Street Marketplace, you agree to be bound by its Terms of UsePrivacy Policy, and any other policies posted on this website. The Crowd Street Marketplace is only intended for accredited investors.
For more information, see Legal Documents and Important Disclosures.

Ⓒ 2025 Crowd Street Ltd. All Rights Reserved

CrowdStreet, Inc. (“Crowd Street”) offers investment opportunities and financial services on this website.

Broker dealer services provided in connection with an investment are offered through CrowdStreet Capital LLC (“Crowd Street Capital”), a registered broker dealer, Member of FINRA/SIPC. Information on all FINRA registered representatives can be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Capital's Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS).

Advisory services are offered through CrowdStreet Advisors, LLC (“Crowd Street Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crowd Street and a federally registered investment adviser. Crowd Street Advisors provides investment advisory services exclusively to private funds and does not otherwise provide investment advisory services to the Crowd Street Marketplace or its users. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Advisors’ Form ADV.

Crowd Street and its affiliates do not endorse any of the opportunities that appear on this website. Investment opportunities available through Crowd Street are speculative and involve substantial risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. Diversification does not guarantee investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss. All investors should consider their individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor of their choosing when deciding if an investment is appropriate. Private placements are illiquid investments, in that they cannot be easily sold or exchanged for cash, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment.

Performance information presented on this website has not been audited or verified by a third party. By accessing the Crowd Street Marketplace, you agree to be bound by its Terms of UsePrivacy Policy, and any other policies posted on this website. The Crowd Street Marketplace is only intended for accredited investors.
For more information, see Legal Documents and Important Disclosures.

Ⓒ 2025 Crowd Street Ltd. All Rights Reserved

CrowdStreet, Inc. (“Crowd Street”) offers investment opportunities and financial services on this website.

Broker dealer services provided in connection with an investment are offered through CrowdStreet Capital LLC (“Crowd Street Capital”), a registered broker dealer, Member of FINRA/SIPC. Information on all FINRA registered representatives can be found on FINRA’s BrokerCheck. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Capital's Client Relationship Summary (Form CRS).

Advisory services are offered through CrowdStreet Advisors, LLC (“Crowd Street Advisors”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crowd Street and a federally registered investment adviser. Crowd Street Advisors provides investment advisory services exclusively to private funds and does not otherwise provide investment advisory services to the Crowd Street Marketplace or its users. Additional information is available in Crowd Street Advisors’ Form ADV.

Crowd Street and its affiliates do not endorse any of the opportunities that appear on this website. Investment opportunities available through Crowd Street are speculative and involve substantial risk. You should not invest unless you can sustain the risk of loss of capital, including the risk of total loss of capital. Diversification does not guarantee investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss. All investors should consider their individual factors in consultation with a professional advisor of their choosing when deciding if an investment is appropriate. Private placements are illiquid investments, in that they cannot be easily sold or exchanged for cash, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment.

Performance information presented on this website has not been audited or verified by a third party. By accessing the Crowd Street Marketplace, you agree to be bound by its Terms of UsePrivacy Policy, and any other policies posted on this website. The Crowd Street Marketplace is only intended for accredited investors.
For more information, see Legal Documents and Important Disclosures.

Ⓒ 2025 Crowd Street Ltd. All Rights Reserved