U.S. Political Concerns Over Cryptocurrency Inclusion in Pension Plans: Balancing Risks and Regulation

2026-01-18 09:20:09

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【Crypto World】Regarding whether cryptocurrencies can be included in the US 401(k) retirement accounts, there are divergent opinions within the US Congress. Some lawmakers have publicly expressed concerns — such assets are highly volatile, and the regulatory framework is not transparent enough, which could pose significant risks to ordinary workers’ pensions.

Specifically, there are several issues with this policy direction. First, the price volatility of cryptocurrencies far exceeds that of traditional investments, making them unsuitable as the main focus of long-term retirement savings. Second, the current regulatory system has not yet established clear protection mechanisms for such assets. Additionally, information asymmetry may lead ordinary savers to invest their retirement funds without fully understanding the risks.

Many lawmakers are paying attention to this issue, and there is a consensus that the current policy design could undermine the stability of the US retirement security system. This discussion reflects the need for regulators to find a better balance between innovation and risk prevention.

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SchrodingerAirdrop

· 10h ago

Isn't this just traditional finance suppressing us, sticking to the old ways? Pensions have been played out already, what are you pretending for? High volatility? How do they calculate the devaluation of the dollar? Laughing to death. Basically, they're just afraid retail investors will make money. The regulatory framework is unclear, but the scythe cuts very clearly. Can't ordinary people make their own choices? Do they have to protect you? The 401k itself is a joke, and now they want to limit our chances to get in. Instead of worrying about our wallets, it's better to stabilize their system first. That's why decentralization is necessary—no one can stop your assets from being free.

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JustHodlIt

· 10h ago

Really just afraid that ordinary people make money, huh? When there's big volatility, they won't let you into the 401k. What about the stock market?

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PriceOracleFairy

· 10h ago

volatility isn't the problem, it's the feature they don't understand... boomers see 40% swings and panic while we're literally running statistical arbitrage on price deviations lmao. the real issue is they wanna gatekeep retail from alpha while institutions already got their offshore structures sorted. funny how "risk management" only applies when regular folks touch the assets.

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HodlAndChill

· 10h ago

Uh, Americans are really being overly conservative this time, and innovation in the crypto circle is being suppressed. That's right, retail investors are indeed easily cut off, but bans can't be enforced forever. Regarding the 401k crypto issue, it depends on who takes the lead in setting the rules. Big fluctuations and not allowing any activity? The stock market isn't stable either. Instead of worrying blindly, it's better to quickly establish a reliable regulatory framework. What are these legislators afraid of? Can't we just take the risk ourselves? It's so difficult for ordinary people to diversify; it's really ridiculous. It's just Wall Street not wanting to lose control.

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MetaverseHomeless

· 10h ago

Really? Putting coins into a pension? Isn't this just a trap for the little guys? --- It's good to call it innovation, but honestly it's just gambling with ordinary people's retirement money. --- With such high volatility, expecting stable returns? Dream on. --- Regulators haven't even figured things out yet, and now they want to include it in 401k. Who dares? --- Those who understand coins know the risks, but the problem is that ordinary people don't understand at all. That's the trouble. --- The American lawmakers seem to have figured it out, but what about us here? --- The point about volatility is correct; the crypto market isn't suitable for long-term products like pensions yet. --- They want innovation but are afraid of risks. Regulation is so contradictory. --- The information asymmetry hits the nail on the head. Big players definitely know the risks, but what about small retail investors? --- If 401k could buy coins, institutions would be laughing their heads off. --- So, until there's a clear protection mechanism, don't mess around blindly.

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DegenMcsleepless

· 10h ago

I just said they always want to turn pensions into casinos, and this logic is brilliant. Volatility really hits hard; not everyone wants a heart attack-style retirement. Want innovation but afraid of risks—this is exactly what American politicians do every day. 401k moving into crypto? Grandpa and grandma have no idea what they're doing. How many times have we said that regulatory transparency is important? Still the same old story. Ordinary workers have become test subjects, absolutely tragic.

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