Americans Remain Skeptical of Crypto in Retirement Accounts Amid Regulatory Expansion
A new survey reveals three-quarters of Americans view cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans as risky, even as federal regulators move to expand access to digital assets.
Survey Reveals Deep Public Skepticism on Crypto Retirement Investments
Consumer confidence in cryptocurrency as a retirement savings vehicle remains markedly low, according to research commissioned by the National Institute on Retirement Security. The survey, conducted by Greenwald Research over a six-week period in late 2025, gathered responses from more than 1,200 American adults aged 25 and older, with results weighted to reflect national demographics across age, gender, and income brackets. The findings paint a stark picture: three-quarters of respondents view cryptocurrency within workplace retirement plans as a risky proposition, with nearly half characterizing it as very risky. Beyond risk perception, a majority of Americans indicated they would oppose their employers offering digital assets as an investment option within retirement accounts.
The skepticism extends beyond cryptocurrency specifically. Broader retirement anxieties permeate the American workforce, with four-fifths of survey participants describing the nation as facing a retirement crisis—a dramatic increase from two-thirds holding this view in 2020. Over three-fifths expressed concern about securing financial stability in retirement, while approximately two-thirds reported that saving for retirement has grown increasingly burdensome. Financial pressures compound these concerns, with roughly three-quarters citing debt as an obstacle to adequate retirement savings.
Regulatory Framework Shifts Toward Expanded Alternative Asset Access
The regulatory environment has moved in a markedly different direction from public sentiment. The Department of Labor rescinded guidance in May 2025 that had encouraged 401(k) plan administrators to exercise heightened caution when evaluating cryptocurrency investments, pivoting instead toward a neutral, principles-based approach. This shift accelerated following President Trump’s executive order in August 2025, which explicitly directed federal agencies to facilitate broader access to alternative assets—including digital currency investment vehicles—within defined-contribution retirement plans. The Labor Department subsequently formalized this policy direction, rescinding additional 2021 guidance that had discouraged 401(k) fiduciaries from considering non-traditional investments. In March 2026, the department proposed comprehensive rules outlining how retirement plan fiduciaries could incorporate alternative assets into investment options, including safe harbor provisions intended to reduce litigation risk while requiring evaluation of factors such as investment fees, asset liquidity, valuation methodology, and track record performance.
Congressional Opposition Challenges Regulatory Momentum
Not all lawmakers have endorsed the regulatory expansion. In June 2026, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, joined by Representative Bobby Scott, formally petitioned the Labor Department to withdraw its proposed rules. Their objection focused on cryptocurrency’s documented price volatility and their assertion that current investor protections remain insufficient to justify expanded access within retirement portfolios.
Source: National Institute on Retirement Security, via Cointelegraph. Not financial advice.