The debate in the United States over the allocation of encrypted assets to pension accounts is still on the rise. The most recent national survey showed that most respondents in the United States did not support the employer ' s in-service pension scheme to provide options for investments in encrypted assets, and risk concerns remained the main cause.

Fifty-three percent of the respondents categorically objected.

The survey was published by the American Institute of Retirement Security. The results showed that 53 per cent of respondents opposed the inclusion of encrypted assets in the workplace pension scheme, and 77 per cent considered that such investments were at different levels of risk, of which 46 per cent directly classified them as “very dangerous”.

The pressure on retirement savings is rising.

The survey showed that the public ' s cautious attitude towards encrypted assets was rising in step with the pressure on retirement savings in the United States. Eighty per cent of respondents felt that the United States was facing a retirement crisis and 61 per cent feared that it would be difficult to achieve financial security after retirement.

  • 68% think it's harder to prepare for retirement than before.
  • Seventy-seven percent indicates that debt has weakened savings capacity.
  • The survey covered 1203 United States residents over 25 years of age

According to the Institute, the survey was completed by Greenwald Research between 24 October and 14 November 2025, weighted by age, gender and income. The survey also shows that the number of people opposed to the allocation of encrypted assets to pension schemes does not amount to total exclusion of digital assets.

A Fed survey in May this year shows that 10 per cent of adults in the United States held or used encrypted assets in 2025, up from 7 per cent in 2024. Of these, about 7 per cent were held as investments, with lower payments and transfers.

Federal policy has shifted towards liberalization in recent years.

Despite caution, United States federal policy in recent years has gradually removed barriers to access to encrypted assets from pension accounts. In May 2025, the United States Department of Labor withdrew its previous encrypted asset guide for the 401(k) plan, which had required the trustee to “extraordinary care” before including the relevant assets.

On 7 August of the same year, Trump signed an executive order on alternative assets, covering both digital asset investment instruments and assets such as private equity, private equity credit and real estate. The order requires the Ministry of Labour to review the relevant fiduciary guidelines and to study how to give retirement savers access to such assets.

Five days later, the Ministry of Labour withdrew a 2021 declaration. Departmental officials stated that the statements departed from the principle of neutrality and should not be treated differently for a single asset class.

The new draft regulations are still being consulted

In March 2026, the Ministry of Labour introduced a new draft regulation on how the trustee assesses alternative assets in the workplace pension scheme. The draft establishes “safe harbour” conditions designed to reduce the risk of litigation in compliance operations.

According to previous disclosures, the framework could affect over 9 million retirement savers. Projects to be reviewed by the trustee include performance, costs, liquidity, valuation, foreclosure clauses and whether participants understand the relevant investments.

This proposal was subsequently opposed by members of the Democratic Party. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Representative Bobby Scott wrote to the Ministry of Labour in June 2026 to request the withdrawal of the draft on the grounds that encrypted assets could lead to higher volatility, risk of fraud and weak investor protection over open securities markets.