Lost in Transaction: Why Gen Z Isn’t Buying Into Traditional Finance

Let’s be honest—Gen Z is a bit of an enigma. Sure, they’re glued to their phones, creating TikTok trends faster than we can keep up, but when it comes to money and success? They’re playing a much more traditional game than we might expect. Owning a home, financial security, and kicking back into a comfy retirement are still very much on their radar. The twist? They’re fully clued-in to the harsh realities of achieving those dreams, making them smart, pragmatic, and just a little bit sceptical. 

That’s why The Gate, a leading creative shop, joined forces with pioneering insights and strategy partner Freemavens to conduct a comprehensive study across five key markets: the U.S., U.K., Spain, Japan, and Hong Kong. Why? To help marketers understand how Gen Z approaches success and finances around the world. If brands want to stay relevant, they need to get to grips with how this generation thinks about money. 

Freemavens, with their pioneering Tribes tool, took a deep dive into over 1.25 million global Gen Z conversations from across unprompted social listening and search data. This isn’t your typical survey—it’s about tapping into real, authentic conversations to uncover what truly drives this generation. Through this data-driven approach, combined with in-depth qualitative insights from over 50 Gen Z participants across the globe, we uncovered four distinct “tribes” that reveal how Gen Z defines success, what they value, and how they approach their finances.