Interest in cryptocurrency investments has been increasing at a rapid pace. Amid this growing interest, employers seeking to offer their employees innovative compensation and benefits programs are weighing the pros and cons of designing compensation programs to pay employees in the form of cryptocurrencies. At the same time, benefit plan fiduciaries have been cautioned to consider whether cryptocurrencies should be available as plan investments.

Team members from Mintz’s Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice, Alden Bianchi, Anne Bruno, Michelle Capezza, and David Lagasse, broke down the key considerations for employers during an informative Q&A session, which covered:

• Factors that have prompted the increased interest in cryptocurrency investments

• Legislative policy proposals focused on cryptocurrencies

• Potential ways employees could be compensated with cryptocurrency

• Potential risks and rewards of compensating employees with cryptocurrency;

• Guidance issued by government agencies such as the SEC and the DOL and their main concerns related to cryptocurrency investments

• Considerations for benefit plan fiduciaries interested in offering plan participants access to cryptocurrency investments

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