Cryptocurrency in Retirement Funds? US Survey: Over Half of Respondents Oppose, 77% Consider It High Risk

Author: Ariel, Crypto City

Cryptocurrency in Retirement Funds: Over Half of Respondents Oppose

Would you accept cryptocurrency in retirement plans?

The National Institute on Retirement Security (NIRS) in the United States has released a new survey showing that 53% of American respondents explicitly oppose employers including cryptocurrency in workplace retirement savings plans like 401(k)s. Additionally, as many as 77% of the public classify cryptocurrency as a high-risk asset, with a significant 46% considering it to be "extremely high risk."

The survey was completed by 1,203 individuals, all of whom were adults aged 25 and older, conducted between October 24 and November 14, 2025.

This data strongly confirms the general public's extreme caution and high reservations about including volatile cryptocurrency assets in retirement savings accounts.

80% of Americans Believe There Is a Serious Retirement Crisis

The NIRS survey indicates that as many as 80% of Americans believe the country is facing a serious retirement crisis, significantly higher than the 67% reported in 2020. Among them, 61% of respondents admitted to being extremely worried about not having sufficient financial security in retirement.

The main causes of this anxiety are persistently high inflation (73%) and severe fluctuations in the financial markets (62%). Additionally, 76% of respondents are concerned that if Congress does not take timely action, government social security benefits may face cuts. The survey also revealed that 68% of the public lament that preparing for retirement has become increasingly difficult, with rising prices and stagnant wages cited as the primary impact factors.

Dan Doonan, Executive Director of the National Institute on Retirement Security, pointed out that Americans are under significant pressure from rising living costs, including housing, healthcare, and debt repayment, which have severely crowded out their ability to save for retirement, while also needing to adapt to the changes and risks brought by emerging financial technologies like cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI).

Generational Differences in Acceptance of AI Financial Tools

The survey also explored the application of AI in personal finance. The results show that while 63% of respondents have used AI tools, 61% of the public has never used AI to address core issues such as personal finance, investment allocation, or retirement planning.

Moreover, 45% of respondents admitted feeling uncomfortable letting AI provide direct financial advice, with younger generations showing significantly higher acceptance of AI in finance compared to older groups.

Despite this, the public remains highly interested in using AI for budget planning (38%), investment assistance (34%), retirement preparation (32%), and tax planning (24%), indicating that consumers prefer to position AI as a financial assistant rather than fully delegating investment decisions to it.

Democratic Lawmakers Demand Withdrawal of Cryptocurrency Rule for 401(k)s

In fact, prior to the release of this poll, the opening of the 401(k) retirement system to alternative assets had already stirred political waves in the United States.

Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters previously wrote to Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, strongly demanding the withdrawal of a proposal allowing 401(k) accounts to invest in alternative assets such as cryptocurrency, private equity, and commodities.

This proposal was formulated under a Trump executive order, aimed at providing a legal "safe harbor" mechanism for retirement managers incorporating cryptocurrency assets.

Waters criticized in her letter that this policy would strip retirement savers of the investor protections they have long enjoyed and encourage high-risk, high-cost speculative behavior.

Acting Secretary Sonderling publicly responded to clarify that the proposal explicitly requires managers to assess assets through prudent procedures and does not relax the stance.

However, recently, Democratic leaders including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have also co-signed protests, indicating that bipartisan controversy over introducing cryptocurrency into retirement funds continues to escalate.