TLDR
- AFP Protección has announced the launch of a new investment fund with exposure to Bitcoin.
- The fund will only be available to clients who meet specific eligibility criteria through a personalized advisory process.
- The product is intended to support diversification without changing the core investment strategy of pension portfolios.
- AFP Protección confirmed that traditional assets like fixed income and equities will continue to be the foundation of its portfolios.
- The move follows a similar Bitcoin offering introduced by Skandia in September.
AFP Protección confirmed plans to introduce a Bitcoin-exposed investment fund, offering access exclusively to qualified clients through personalized advisory. The firm emphasized portfolio diversification while maintaining its traditional asset focus and outlined strict criteria for investor participation. The move follows recent regulatory developments and marks a second such offering by a Colombian pension fund.
Personalized Bitcoin Exposure Through Risk-Based Access
Juan David Correa, president of Protección SA, announced the initiative in an interview with Valora Analitik, confirming the product’s limited availability. He stated the fund would be accessible only via direct advisory and based on each client’s financial risk profile. “The most important element is diversification,” Correa said, outlining the strategy as complementary rather than core.
Only investors who meet strict eligibility criteria can assign a portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin exposure. This approach ensures alignment with each investor’s capacity to assume risk and asset volatility. The firm confirmed this fund will remain outside the main pension product offerings.
The new product will not change how Protección manages the majority of client assets in traditional pension accounts. Fixed income, equities, and other conventional instruments will continue to form the base of pension portfolios. The Bitcoin-linked fund serves as an additional option for qualified clients, not a replacement.
AFP Protección Joins Peer in Bitcoin Investment Offering
AFP Protección becomes the second major pension fund in Colombia to integrate digital asset exposure within its product lineup. In September, Skandia Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones y Cesantías added Bitcoin exposure to one of its portfolios. Both firms took a controlled route, focusing on investor segmentation and risk profiles.
Founded in 1991, Protección manages over 220 trillion Colombian pesos, or roughly $55 billion. The firm serves more than 8.5 million clients across various pension and severance accounts. The firm holds a leading position in the country’s private pension system.
Protección’s initiative aligns with broader diversification trends and changing investor preferences in the digital era. However, the firm emphasized that this launch will not disrupt the structure of mandatory pension savings. The new product is structured only for optional allocation by eligible clients seeking broader investment coverage.
Crypto Oversight Tightens as Pension Access Expands
Colombia’s tax authority, DIAN, introduced new crypto regulations earlier this month requiring service providers to report user and transaction data. The framework aligns with the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and supports data exchange with international tax authorities. Exchanges, custodians, and intermediaries must now comply with due diligence and valuation standards.
The new rules aim to enhance transparency and prevent tax evasion across the digital asset ecosystem. Non-compliant providers face potential penalties as enforcement mechanisms begin. These developments coincide with increased institutional interest in digital assets within the country.
