Bitcoin gains ground in retirement market with Equitable annuity option

Equitable has added what it says is the first bitcoin-linked investment option available within a registered index-linked annuity, marking the latest effort by insurers to bring cryptocurrency exposure into retirement products.

The option is linked to the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, or IBIT, and allows investors to participate in bitcoin's performance while receiving a measure of downside protection.

Allocations generally will be limited to 25% of a contract's value, the company said.

The launch comes as interest in bitcoin continues to expand across the insurance and retirement industries.

Earlier this year, Delaware Life and Aspida introduced annuity products tied to indexes that include bitcoin exposure alongside other assets, including stocks and cash.

Equitable's offering takes a different approach.

Rather than linking performance to a broader index, the option is tied directly to IBIT.

Steve Scanlon, managing director and head of individual retirement at Equitable, said the company had received inquiries about a bitcoin-linked option for years.

"We've been asked over the years whether or not this was an option that we could provide," Scanlon said.

The move raises a broader question for the retirement industry: whether bitcoin is becoming a mainstream portfolio allocation or remains a niche investment aimed at a small but growing group of investors.