Cryptocurrency Outranks Traditional Pensions in European Wealth-Building Strategy: OKX Research
New survey reveals European investors place greater confidence in cryptocurrencies than conventional retirement accounts for building enduring wealth, contrasting sharply with American investors' cautious stance on digital assets in pension portfolios.
Across multiple major European economies, investors have positioned cryptocurrency ahead of conventional retirement plans when identifying vehicles for enduring wealth accumulation, with 19% of survey participants selecting digital currencies, compared to just 8% who favored traditional pension schemes.
Meanwhile, American investors maintained their preference for conventional retirement vehicles, as 21% selected retirement accounts while a mere 12% chose cryptocurrencies, according to Thursday's OKX survey encompassing 1,932 adults ranging from 18 to 88 years old who had prior experience investing in digital currencies. The research was executed by Pollfish during the period spanning Oct. 14 through Oct. 18, covering respondents across the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
Property investments emerged as the dominant selection for enduring wealth generation, with 34% of total participants choosing this broad asset category over both digital currencies and retirement accounts, identifying it as the asset class most strongly linked to sustainable wealth.
Europe's younger generation has previously demonstrated anxieties regarding the adequacy of their retirement planning provisions. Approximately 43% of 2,000 surveyed European adults between ages 18 to 35 anticipated their pensions would prove inadequate, based on a May 2026 survey conducted by Friends of Europe's citizen-engagement unit, Debating Europe.
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.
Erald Ghoo, CEO of OKX Europe
According to his assessment, cryptocurrency's position within wealth planning strategies will grow "more important" as this investor demographic ages and accumulates greater wealth.
Over half of US investors plan to increase their crypto holdings, while boomers remain skeptical
Close to half of European market participants, representing 47%, anticipate expanding their digital asset positions, with 13% indicating plans for substantial increases. When examining all demographic segments, 51% project growth in their cryptocurrency allocations. Baby boomers stand out as the outlier group, with 55% stating that crypto holds no importance for intergenerational wealth transfer.
When baby boomers are removed from the calculation, US investors demonstrate notably stronger optimism regarding cryptocurrency's position within their investment portfolios, as 55% of surveyed respondents anticipate expanding their allocation during the upcoming five-year period and 22% are planning substantial increases.
Nevertheless, American baby boomers exhibited greater pessimism toward digital currencies, with 65% declaring that crypto held no importance whatsoever for building generational wealth, in contrast to 44% of European boomers sharing this perspective.
Trump administration broadens retirement plan access to alternative assets
Indeed, American investors also display heightened skepticism concerning cryptocurrency's appropriateness within retirement account structures. An August survey conducted by The National Institute on Retirement Security revealed that 77% of Americans perceive crypto within workplace retirement plans as hazardous, with 46% characterizing it as very risky.
Previously, though, the Trump administration initiated measures aimed at expanding accessibility to alternative investment classes within retirement planning frameworks. In May 2025, the US Department of Labor withdrew crypto-specific guidance that had previously advised 401(k) plan fiduciaries to apply "extreme care" when evaluating cryptocurrency investments, reverting instead to a neutral stance that neither promotes nor discourages digital currency inclusion.
In August 2025, President Donald Trump executed an executive order mandating federal agencies to broaden access to alternative investment assets in 401(k) plans, including provisions for digital asset exposure through designated investment vehicles.
In March 2026, the US Department of Labor released a draft proposal aimed at expanding investment alternatives in 401(k) retirement plans to incorporate crypto and alternative investments.
In June 2026, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Representative Bobby Scott called upon the US Department of Labor to retract its proposal to permit digital assets in retirement plans, contending that the policy would "expose retirement accounts to exceptionally volatile assets, like digital currency."