In the past, the private equity world has been largely populated by the ultra-rich, endowments and pension funds. That's going to change.

Key Takeaways President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that could open the door to allowing private equity, cryptocurrencies, and other alternative investments into 401(k)s.Advocates say the change would give workers the ability to diversify their portfolios and increase total returns by investing in fast-growing startups.