77% of Americans view crypto in retirement plans as risky: Survey

Nearly eight in ten Americans think putting crypto in their 401(k) is a risky proposition. That’s the headline finding from the National Institute on Retirement Security’s latest annual survey, released on August 26, and it paints a picture of a public that’s deeply unconvinced about mixing digital assets with their nest eggs.

The NIRS survey found that 77% of respondents view cryptocurrency as a risky investment within workplace retirement plans, with 46% going further and labeling it “very risky.” More than half, 53%, said they flat-out oppose their employers even offering crypto as an investment option.

A retirement crisis meets a crypto identity crisis

According to the same NIRS survey, 80% of Americans now believe the country is facing a retirement crisis. That’s a sharp climb from 67% who felt the same way in 2020. Meanwhile, 61% of respondents said they’re personally worried about their own financial security in retirement.

The Trump administration issued an executive order in August 2025 directing the Department of Labor to revisit its guidelines on alternative investments, including digital assets, for plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). That order effectively reversed the Biden-era DOL guidance, which had urged fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” before adding crypto to retirement plan menus.

By March 2026, the DOL followed through with a proposed rule designed to create a safe harbor for fiduciaries evaluating alternative assets like crypto.

The adoption numbers tell their own story

Only 4% of 401(k) plans currently offer alternative investment options of any kind. And the total assets allocated to those alternatives? A microscopic 0.1%.

If 53% of Americans actively oppose their employer offering crypto in their retirement plan, the regulatory permission slip may gather dust.

What this means for the crypto industry

Asset managers like Fidelity, which has already offered Bitcoin exposure in some 401(k) plans, and newer entrants hoping to capture this market will likely need to invest heavily in education and risk-framing before the survey numbers start to shift.

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