Senator Elizabeth Warren has urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to provide information on the inclusion of cryptocurrency in pension funds and retirement accounts. In a letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins, she expressed concerns about the risks posed by a recent executive order from President Donald Trump. Warren highlighted potential threats to investors' retirement security due to crypto's volatility.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts and ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, sent a letter on January 13, 2026, to SEC Chair Paul Atkins. The correspondence focuses on cryptocurrency assets within pension funds and retirement plans, amid worries about their stability for long-term savings.
Warren referenced an August executive order by President Donald Trump, which instructed the Department of Labor and the SEC to review previous restrictive guidelines on cryptocurrencies in such plans. She argued that this move endangers investors by permitting volatile crypto holdings in retirement accounts.
“I write to request information regarding the Trump Administration’s Executive Order that endangers investors by clearing the way for pension funds and retirement accounts to hold volatile crypto assets,” Warren stated in the letter.
She also pointed to ongoing Senate Banking Committee discussions on crypto market structure legislation, which she said could create a “tokenization loophole” allowing blockchain products to bypass SEC oversight. Together with the executive order, this might “dramatically increase risks” to savings, according to Warren.
“Given the threats from crypto’s volatility, the market’s lack of transparency, and potential conflicts of interest, I am concerned that the Trump Administration’s decision to allow these risky assets to be part of such critical retirement investments threatens millions of Americans’ retirement security,” she added.
The senator requested clarification from the SEC on ensuring fair valuation of crypto assets, evaluating market manipulation and deceptive practices, and raising awareness for retail investors. She set a response deadline of January 27, 2026.
This follows Warren's June 2025 inquiries to retirement recordkeeper Empower, where she questioned CEO Edmund F. Murphy III about offering private equity and private credit investments. Although Murphy replied with research citations, Warren pressed for more details on investor protections and firm partnerships.