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Colombia’s Second-Largest Pension to Launch Bitcoin Fund for Qualified Clients

Colombia’s second-largest private pension and severance fund manager, AFP Protección, plans to launch an investment fund with exposure to Bitcoin.

The plan was confirmed by Juan David Correa, president of Protección SA, in an interview with local outlet Valora Analitik. Correa said access to the product will be limited and offered only through a personalized advisory process that evaluates each client’s risk profile. 

Only investors who meet defined criteria will be able to allocate a portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin.

Correa framed the initiative around diversification rather than a change in core investment strategy. 

“The most important element is diversification,” he said, adding that eligible clients will be able to assign a percentage of their portfolios to exposure to this type of asset if they choose.

Protección’s move follows a similar step by Skandia Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones y Cesantías, which introduced Bitcoin exposure in one of its portfolios in September. With this launch, Protección became the second major pension fund administrator in Colombia to offer clients access to Bitcoin-linked investments.

JUST IN: Colombia’s second-largest pension fund AFP Protección to offer Bitcoin exposure.

Pensions are coming pic.twitter.com/K4Mh0n8pHr

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 26, 2026

Bitcoin as an additional investment option for Colombia

The company said the new product does not alter how the majority of pension savings are managed. Fixed income instruments, equities and other traditional assets will continue to form the foundation of both mandatory and voluntary pension portfolios.

The Bitcoin-linked fund is positioned as an additional option for qualified investors seeking broader portfolio construction rather than a replacement for existing allocations.

Founded in 1991, AFP Protección manages more than 220 trillion Colombian pesos, or about $55 billion, in assets. The firm serves more than 8.5 million clients across mandatory pension plans, voluntary pension products and severance savings accounts. 

The broader mandatory pension fund market in Colombia reached 527.3 trillion pesos as of November 2025, with close to half of those assets invested outside the country.

The announcement comes as Colombia tightens oversight of the digital asset sector. Earlier this month, the national tax authority, DIAN, introduced a mandatory reporting framework for crypto service providers. The rules require exchanges, custodians and intermediaries to collect and submit user and transaction data.

The framework aligns Colombia with the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, enabling automatic exchange of crypto-related tax information with other jurisdictions. 

Service providers must report identifying information and transaction details for reportable users and comply with due diligence and valuation standards or face penalties, per local reports. 

This post Colombia’s Second-Largest Pension to Launch Bitcoin Fund for Qualified Clients first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

AFP Protección, Colombia’s second-largest private pension manager, is preparing a new product that will give some savers a way to gain exposure to Bitcoin. Reports say the move will be limited, targeted and tied to advisory checks rather than open to every account holder.

Bitcoin As An Option For Qualified Savers

Reports note the fund will be offered only to investors who meet a risk profile and pass a tailored advisory process. That means access won’t be automatic; it will be conditional on an assessment meant to match a person’s tolerance with a small, optional slice of crypto.

The product is designed for long-term allocation and not for quick trading or speculation, according to market coverage. AFP Protección’s executives emphasized that core pension portfolios will remain focused on traditional assets such as bonds and equities, and that any Bitcoin exposure would be a narrow, complementary allocation.

En primicia, Valora Analitik conoció que Protección se prepara para lanzar desde Colombia un fondo con exposición a Bitcoin. El producto no estará enfocado en la especulación de corto plazo, sino en ampliar las opciones de diversificación con una gestión integral de riesgos y… pic.twitter.com/nAO8mbsTLi

— Valora Analitik (@ValoraAnalitik) January 22, 2026

The language used by the firm frames the initiative as diversification rather than a wholesale shift of retirement capital. Juan David Correa, who serves as president of Protección SA, confirmed the plan in an interview with local media outlet Valora Analitik.

Size And Reach Of The Manager

AFP Protección manages assets for millions of clients and has a sizable balance sheet. Reports put its assets under management at roughly 220 trillion Colombian pesos — roughly US$55 billion — and note that the firm serves a broad base of workers through mandatory pensions, voluntary saving plans and severance accounts. The sheer scale of the manager helps explain why even a small, optional product gets wide attention.

Regulation And Reporting

Reports also point to a tightening regulatory backdrop in Colombia. Tax and customs authorities have rolled out new crypto reporting rules that align with international reporting standards.

Those rules are likely to affect how crypto products are structured and how returns or transfers are reported for tax purposes. The change in rules is one reason AFP Protección has framed its product as measured and compliant.

How This Fits A Regional Trend

Across Latin America, some institutional players have been experimenting with limited crypto exposure for years. Colombia’s move follows earlier steps by one or two other local managers and fits a regional pattern where established firms test small, controlled offerings before widening access. The step will be watched closely by investors and regulators overseas.

Reports say potential participants should expect thorough suitability checks, clear disclosures and limits on how much of a retirement portfolio can sit in the new vehicle.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView