One in Four UK Adults Would Consider Crypto Pension Investment
Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
On August 26, Aviva’s report revealed that one in four UK adults would consider cryptocurrency for their retirement portfolio.
The research showed that 27% of adults would consider including digital assets to their pension strategy, and nearly as many would even tap existing pensions to do it.
https://twitter.com/Andre_Dragosch/status/1960629717779841115
Could UK Pensions Be the Next Frontier for Crypto Investment?
Aviva’s Censuswide poll of 2,000 UK adults conducted between June 4 and June 6 shows that 23% of respondents considered withdrawing part or all of their pension to invest directly in crypto.
About one in five young UK adults between the ages of 25 and 34 said they’ve already withdrawn pension funds to invest in crypto.
Overall, 21% of adults have invested in crypto at some point, and 14% still hold it.
In terms of crypto-related risks, 41% of the respondents cited security concerns while 37% highlighted lack of protection and regulation. Crypto volatility worries came third with 30%.
Three in ten respondents say they’re interested in crypto but don’t understand what they’d forgo by cashing in their pension, and 27% don’t realize any risks exist.
The stakes are large. More than four in five UK adults hold a workplace or private pension, and the UK pensions market totals roughly £3.8 trillion in 2024, meaning even small allocation shifts could move real capital.
Aviva’s Michele Golunska cautioned against ignoring core pension advantages such as employer contributions and tax relief, urging savers to weigh risks and rewards before diverting retirement money to crypto.
In the United States, an August 7 executive order directs regulators to open 401(k)s to “alternative assets,” including cryptocurrencies—potentially touching more than $9 trillion in retirement savings.
Implementation still depends on subsequent rulemaking by the Labor, Treasury, and SEC, but the move widens the door.
The UK, however, is tightening data rules. From January 1, 2026, crypto service providers must collect and report customer identifiers (name, address, and tax ID) under HMRC guidance implementing the OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF).
That regime will link reported trading to tax records and increase transparency around crypto transactions.
Why Crypto’s Path in Britain Looks So Different
While crypto and pensions are still in a gradual integration phase in states across the U.S., stablecoin paychecks are already advancing.
In 2024, 9.6% of workers took salaries in digital assets, with USDC handling 63% of crypto payrolls and USDT 28.6%.
The UK sits some way from that, taking a more cautious route. Ministers have proposed banning political crypto donations after Reform UK began taking Bitcoin in May.
Under the new guidelines, any contribution above £500 would need a verified UK donor or registered company, with the Electoral Commission and National Crime Agency enforcing and penalties reaching £500,000 or criminal prosecution.
Regulators are also clamping down on illegal retail access.
The FCA and Metropolitan Police raided four London sites, seizing seven unregistered crypto ATMs, and arrested two people on money-laundering suspicions; the FCA says no crypto ATMs are legally registered.
https://twitter.com/crypr0xi/status/1896364436505432210
Compared with countries fast-tracking stablecoin payrolls and payments, Britain remains behind—but with clear rules, supervised on-ramps, and compliant infrastructure, the market could still chart a path toward broader adoption.
