EU investors rank crypto above retirement plans for lasting wealth creation: OKX survey

The OKX survey of 1,932 adults aged 18 to 88, conducted between Oct. 14 and Oct. 18 across the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, reveals a stark divergence in attitudes toward digital assets and retirement planning.

While real estate remained the top choice for lasting wealth at 34%, crypto secured a significant 19% of the vote, surpassing traditional retirement plans at 8%.

In contrast, US investors still preferred retirement accounts, with 21% choosing them over the 12% who opted for cryptocurrencies.

Generational Wealth Shift

The preference for crypto is particularly pronounced among younger investors, who have long expressed concerns about the adequacy of their future pensions.

About 43% of Europeans aged 18 to 35 expected their pensions to fall short, according to a May 2026 survey by Friends of Europe’s Debating Europe unit.

"When investors under 45 on both sides of the Atlantic treat crypto as part of their long-term wealth, it tells you crypto is now part of how people look at their finances," said OKX Europe’s CEO, Erald Ghoo.

Ghoo noted that crypto’s role in wealth planning will become more important as these investors age and accumulate more assets.

The survey also found that nearly half of European investors, 47%, expect to increase their crypto holdings, including 13% planning a significant increase.

US Regulatory Debate

In the United States, the debate over digital assets in retirement plans has intensified, with a growing number of Americans viewing them as risky.

An August survey from The National Institute on Retirement Security found that 77% of Americans consider crypto in workplace retirement plans risky, including 46% who view it as very risky.

Despite this skepticism, the Trump administration has taken steps to broaden access to alternative assets in retirement plans.

In May 2025, the US Department of Labor rescinded crypto-specific guidance that had urged 401(k) plan fiduciaries to exercise "extreme care" when considering cryptocurrency investments, returning to a neutral approach.

This was followed by an executive order in August 2025 directing federal agencies to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, including digital assets.

In June 2026, Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Bobby Scott urged the Department of Labor to withdraw its proposal to allow digital assets in retirement plans, arguing it would "expose retirement accounts to exceptionally volatile assets, like digital currency."