World’s largest pension fund is considering investing in bitcoin

Japan’s government pension fund will explore investments in “illiquidity assets,” including forests, farmland, gold and bitcoin

article-image

valiantsin suprunovich/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) of Japan is looking to invest in illiquidity assets, including bitcoin.

In a request for information (RFI) released on Tuesday, the pension fund notes that it currently has funds in domestic bonds and stocks, foreign bonds and stocks, real estate, infrastructure and private equity. 

The GPIF revealed that it is considering investing in “illiquidity assets,” including forests, farmland, gold and bitcoin. It will consider further research on these assets based on the initial information they receive. 

The deadline for information submission is April 19, 2024, at 3 am ET (5 pm JST). Subsequent briefings on the RFI will not be held, and the usage of information will not be publicly disclosed. 

Read more: Japan’s crypto policy takes a positive step forward

Japan’s GPIF is not the first pension fund to consider assets in the cryptocurrency realm. South Korea’s National Pension Service has previously purchased shares in Coinbase, totaling approximately $20 million. The Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund had also purchased both bitcoin and ether, though the investment was met with mixed feelings.

According to a CFA Institute survey that was conducted in April 2022, more than 94% of state government and pension plan sponsors reported that they had invested in cryptocurrencies. The report did not indicate the type of cryptocurrency-related investments that received interest. However, it did note that 62% of corporate benefit plans had placed capital in the sector.

Read more: Where pension funds stand today on crypto investments 

Additionally, the Arizona state senate has been working with lawmakers and state retirement fund managers on a resolution that will allocate portions of portfolios to bitcoin ETFs. If passed, the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) will be required to create a report which will assess the feasibility and risk of investing a portion of state retirement funds toward digital asset ETFs

At the time of writing, the price of bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $63,000, up by over 120% since the previous year.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

  • Blockworks Daily: The newsletter that helps thousands of investors understand crypto and the markets, by Byron Gilliam.
  • Empire: Start your morning with the top news and analysis to inform your day in crypto.
  • Forward Guidance: Reporting and analysis on the growing intersection of crypto and macroeconomics, policy and finance.
  • 0xResearch: Alpha directly in your inbox. Market highlights, data, degen trade ideas, governance updates, token performance and more.
  • Lightspeed: Built for Solana investors, developers and community members. The latest from one of crypto’s hottest networks.
  • The Drop: For crypto collectors and traders, covering apps, games, memes and more.
  • Supply Shock: Tracking Bitcoin’s rise from internet plaything worth less than a penny to global phenomenon disrupting money as we know it.
Tags

Upcoming Events

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research

article-image

The network is at a “pivotal juncture,” Blockworks Research’s Marc-Thomas Arjoon said

article-image

Altcoin trade volume has returned to pre-FTX levels, but with a shrinking pool of market leaders

article-image

Solana Foundation’s former head of strategy proposes increasing the disinflation rate

article-image

With much of the bitcoin mining supply chain based in Asia, US-based operations now face higher equipment prices

article-image

Anticipating an economic downturn, venture firms may be less likely to invest

article-image

Trump’s tariffs may have potentially significant impacts on GDP, household spending and food prices — if they hold