Press Release

NAPA Announces New Private and Digital Assets Certificate Program

Issued by National Association of Plan Advisors [NAPA]

June 18, 2026

Arlington, Va. — The National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) today announced its new Private and Digital Assets Certificate Program.

A 50% decline in the number of publicly traded companies between 1996 and 2020 means shrinking traditional public market opportunities. Meanwhile, private investment funds now represent a massive $16 trillion in assets globally. 

Recent regulatory shifts are making alternative assets more accessible in Defined Contribution (DC) plans, including a recent White House Executive Order aimed at expanding access to private and digital assets in 401(k) plans. 

The Private and Digital Assets Certificate Program is specifically designed to prepare retirement plan advisors to evaluate, communicate, and provide strategic guidance on incorporating private and digital assets into DC plans. It equips professionals to navigate evolving regulations, conduct rigorous diligence, and ultimately differentiate their practice.

The program is targeted to NAPA Retirement Plan Advisors who support Defined Contribution (DC) plans and are interested in private and digital assets with intermediate-level knowledge of DC plan investments.

It consists of five online modules, all of which must be completed to earn the Certificate:

• Module No. 1 provides a big-picture overview, followed by a deeper dive into specific asset types and focus areas in Module No. 2 and No. 3.
• In Module No. 4, everything is brought together to prepare candidates to incorporate what they learned into their practice.
• Finally, in Module No. 5, they will complete a due diligence exercise to put the knowledge into action. 

To receive the Certificate of completion and CE record, they must complete this course in its entirety. 

After completing this course, advisors will be able to leverage multi-asset solutions, perform two-level due diligence, align with demographics and sponsors, update key documentation, and document a prudent process.

“Defined benefit pension plans, many of them maintained by unions for their members, have successfully used private market investments for decades, and even some larger 401(k) plans already use private-market investments as part of a managed portfolio that serves as a target-date fund for participants,” said NAPA’s Executive Director Brian Graff. “The Private and Digital Assets Certificate Program now puts retirement plan advisors in the best possible position to evaluate all suitable investment options to help hardworking Americans achieve a secure and dignified retirement.”

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About the National Association of Plan Advisors

The National Association of Plan Advisors, an affiliate organization of the American Retirement Association, was created by and for retirement plan advisors. Membership is also open to other retirement industry professionals who support the interests of plan advisors. While the financial services industry is well represented in Washington by several trade associations that weigh in on issues affecting advisors, NAPA is the only advocacy group exclusively focused on the issues that matter to retirement plan advisors. This exclusive focus is what sets NAPA apart. For more information, visit https://www.napa-net.org.

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