A new survey shows growing appetite among UK adults to include crypto in their retirement savings, hinting that digital assets may one day compete for a share of the country’s multitrillion-pound pension market.
Key Takeaways:
- 27% of UK adults are open to including crypto in their retirement plans, with many drawn by higher return potential.
- Nearly one in four would consider withdrawing pension funds to invest directly in digital assets, despite limited regulated options.
- Security, regulation, and volatility remain top concerns, while experts caution pensions still offer unique long-term benefits.
According to UK insurance company Aviva, 27% of adults polled said they were open to having crypto in their retirement portfolios.
Of those, just over 40% said the main attraction was the potential for higher returns compared to traditional pension assets. The poll, conducted by Censuswide between June 4 and 6, surveyed 2,000 UK adults.
Nearly One in Four Brits Eye Pension Withdrawals for Crypto
The findings also revealed that 23% of respondents would consider withdrawing part or all of their existing pensions to invest directly in crypto.
With more than four in five UK adults holding pensions worth an estimated £3.8 trillion ($5.12 trillion), even modest shifts in allocation could inject substantial capital into the crypto market.
Despite the interest, pension-linked crypto options in the UK remain scarce.
The survey’s release comes shortly after a move in the United States, where President Donald Trump signed an executive order permitting 401(k) retirement plans to include Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, opening access to more than $9 trillion in assets.
The contrast highlights how far the UK has to go in integrating crypto into mainstream retirement products.
Many investors still rely on direct trading through exchanges like Binance or Coinbase rather than through regulated pension vehicles.
Aviva’s research found that about one in five UK adults—roughly 11.6 million people—have held crypto at some point.
Two-thirds of that group continue to hold some form of digital asset. Younger investors are especially active: nearly 20% of adults aged 25 to 34 admitted to withdrawing pension funds in order to buy crypto.
But while enthusiasm is evident, so are concerns. The top risks cited were hacking and phishing attacks (41%), lack of regulation and consumer protection (37%), and volatility (30%).
Michele Golunska, Aviva’s managing director of wealth and advice, warned that crypto’s appeal shouldn’t overshadow the benefits of traditional pensions.
“We mustn’t forget the value of the good old pension. It comes with some powerful benefits, like employer contributions and tax relief, that can make a real difference to your long-term financial wellbeing,” she said.
Nearly a third of respondents admitted they didn’t fully understand the trade-offs of replacing pensions with crypto, while 27% were unaware there were any risks involved.
UK to Enforce Mandatory Crypto Trade Reporting
As reported, the UK will require crypto firms to collect and report detailed customer information on every trade and transfer starting January 1, 2026, as part of a sweeping effort to strengthen tax compliance and oversight in the digital asset sector.
According to a statement from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the new rules will mandate that platforms record full names, home addresses, and tax identification numbers for all users.
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