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). ...