Most Americans Reject Crypto in Retirement Plans Amid Financial Anxiety

The findings from the National Institute on Retirement Security underscore a widening gap between federal policy shifts and public sentiment. While 80% of Americans now believe the country faces a mounting retirement crisis—up from 67% in 2020—many view crypto as an unnecessary gamble. This caution persists even as the Department of Labor has moved to dismantle previous guidance that discouraged fiduciaries from offering digital assets, aiming instead for a neutral, principles-based approach to investment selection.

Regulatory efforts to normalize alternative assets, including an executive order from President Donald Trump and a March 2026 Labor Department proposal, have met with significant political pushback. Critics, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, argue that the volatility and lack of transparent valuation methods in crypto markets pose unacceptable risks to workers. Despite these legislative debates, the burden of proof remains with plan sponsors, who must now navigate complex fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to justify adding alternative investments to their portfolios.