A majority of Americans oppose the inclusion of cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans, citing significant risks to long-term financial security, according to a survey by the National Institute on Retirement Security.
The survey, conducted by Greenwald Research between October 24 and November 14, 2025, found that 77% of respondents consider crypto investments in retirement plans risky, including 46% who view them as very risky. Additionally, 53% oppose employers offering crypto as an investment option. The skepticism coincides with growing concerns about retirement preparedness, with 80% of Americans now describing the U.S. as facing a retirement crisis, up from 67% in 2020.
Financial pressures are also complicating retirement savings, as 68% of respondents reported increased difficulty in preparing for retirement and 77% cited debt as a barrier to adequate savings. The survey included 1,203 Americans aged 25 and older, with results weighted by age, gender, and income.
The findings come as U.S. policymakers have taken steps to broaden access to alternative assets in retirement accounts, including cryptocurrency. In May 2025, the Department of Labor rescinded guidance that had urged 401(k) plan fiduciaries to exercise extreme caution when considering crypto investments, adopting a neutral stance instead. On August 7, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Labor Department and the SEC to facilitate access to alternative assets, including digital assets, in defined-contribution retirement plans.
The Labor Department followed this with a proposal in March 2026 outlining how 401(k) fiduciaries could include alternative assets in investment lineups. The proposal introduced safe harbors to reduce litigation risks while requiring consideration of factors such as fees, liquidity, valuation, and performance. However, the proposal has faced opposition from lawmakers, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Bobby Scott, who argued in June that crypto’s volatility and insufficient investor safeguards warranted withdrawal of the rules.
