So you’re sitting at the office water cooler, overhearing Gary from accounting confidently say, I’m ditching the pension plan, and putting my retirement money into crypto.
Sound like a scene straight out of a sitcom? Well, hold onto your coffee cups, because this might become the new normal in the UK.
Pension market
A new survey from Aviva just dropped a bombshell, 27% of UK adults are game to add cryptocurrencies to their retirement portfolios.
That’s over a quarter of the population eyeballing crypto as part of their golden years stash.
And if you think that’s all talk, check this, 23% would actually pull cash out of their current pension pots to fuel their crypto bets. That’s no small potato given the UK pension market towers at around $5.1 trillion.
What’s driving this crypto craze? Nearly half of those warm to the idea are chasing those juicy, potentially high returns.
It’s like choosing to ride the rollercoaster at the theme park instead of a calm carousel, thrills over chill, you know?
Still, security worries like hacking and phishing rank highest on the dread list, followed by worries about the lack of rules and safeguards.
Volatility? That’s the third-biggest monster lurking in the closet.
Quick profits?
Despite the growing fascination, the options to slip crypto into UK retirement packages are pretty slim on the ground.
It’s like ordering a fancy cocktail and getting plain soda instead. Compare this to the US, where President Trump recently signed an executive order letting 401(k) plans include Bitcoin and other cryptos, unlocking piles of cash, $9 trillion worth of retirement assets, no less. I told you it’s a big pile.
Aviva’s Michele Golunska offers a reminder, pensions are no mugs. They come with perks like tax relief and employer contributions that sweeten the long-term deal. But the lure of crypto’s quick profits is quite tough to resist.
Think of it like weighing a reliable old sedan against a sleek sports car that might stall.
Some Brits know the risks, they admit they don’t fully grasp what they might lose by cashing out their pensions, while a surprising 27% had no idea risks even existed.
Gatekeepers
Not surprisingly, younger adults are leading this crypto trend too, nearly 20% of those aged 25-34 have already dipped into their pensions for crypto investments.
It’s like they’re all-in at the poker table, confident or maybe just chasing the thrill.
And banks? They’re playing the cautious elder, with nearly 40% of crypto investors saying their banks have blocked or delayed payments to crypto providers.
The financial gatekeepers aren’t handing over the keys so easily. So let me say that, it likely won’t be a smooth ride.
Cryptocurrency and Web3 expert, founder of Kriptoworld
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With years of experience covering the blockchain space, András delivers insightful reporting on DeFi, tokenization, altcoins, and crypto regulations shaping the digital economy.
