Coinbase and OKX target Australia’s $2.8T pension market with crypto offering for self-managed super funds (SMSFs).
Australia’s massive A$4.3 trillion (US$2.8 trillion) pension system is becoming a new frontier for cryptocurrencies. Major crypto exchanges Coinbase and OKX are launching products to attract self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs). These are the funds that constitute approximately one-fourth of the Australian pension pool, enabling individuals to manage their own retirement investments. In turn, SMSFs are fueling crypto usage in the retirement sector of the country.
OKX Reports High Demand for New SMSF Crypto Offering
According to Bloomberg, the amount of crypto in SMSFs has increased dramatically. The Australian Tax Office reported that these funds contained A$1.7 billion in crypto assets by March 2025, a 7-fold increase relative to 2021. This expansion demonstrates an increasing interest of Australian investors in digital assets. An example is younger investors and smaller funds are investing 4-10 percent of their portfolio in crypto as a way to diversify.
In addition, Coinbase and OKX are customizing their offering to SMSFs. Coinbase is ready to open a specific SMSF service and has more than 500 investors on the waiting list. Likewise, in June of 2025, OKX launched a comparable product and the demand has surpassed expectations, Kate Cooper, the Australian CEO of OKX revealed. The two exchanges are also assisting investors to establish SMSFs by linking them with accountants and legal consultants. This simplifies the fact that people can invest their retirement funds on the crypto market.
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The mainstream Australian pension funds have not embraced cryptocurrencies, however. Traditional funds are conservative in comparison to SMSFs because of the volatility in crypto. Fabian Bussoletti, the technical manager of the SMSF Association, said, It is understandable that we are maybe a little more interested in crypto in the self-managed super fund sector first. He takes the view that it would not take long before bigger funds come in, but until then SMSFs are on the frontline.
Australian Regulators Urge Caution as Crypto Enters Super Funds
In addition, regulatory challenges persist. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued a warning that crypto is highly volatile and can result in heavy losses. The Australian Tax Office also reminds investors that SMSFs must prioritise long-term retirement income Despite these warnings, the success of SMSFs in adopting crypto may force regulators to change course. For instance, on a global level, pension funds in the UK and the US allocate up to 3% of their portfolios to crypto, which means they are becoming more accepted.
Furthermore, Coinbase and OKX are targeting buy-and-hold investors as opposed to active traders. Their products are aimed at larger accounts as SMSF setup requires administration costs such as mandatory audits. This approach is consistent with retirement investing being a long-term proposition. For example, AMP, Australia’s largest pension provider, already holds 0.05% of its portfolio in Bitcoin futures, a clear sign of the growing legitimacy of crypto.
In conclusion, Coinbase and OKX are positioning themselves to capture some of Australia’s $2.8 trillion pension market by targeting SMSFs. As cryptocurrency holdings in such funds increase and there is a high demand for new services, digital assets are becoming a part of retirement portfolios. While the regulatory approach remains cautious, the success of SMSFs could inspire further integration of crypto into Australian pension markets, potentially affecting global developments.
