Research & White Papers

How to Win the  New Investor Class

How Gen Z and Millennials are redefining financial  trust and what brands must do to keep up.

Forget everything you know about financial marketing.

Today’s under-35s want a coach, a classmate, or a creator who sounds like someone they’d actually follow.

From TikTok side hustles to creator-led investing tips, this report decodes how Gen Z and Millennials are learning about money and what financial services brands need to do to earn their trust, time, and loyalty.

Only 28% of financially insecure Gen Zs report feeling happy. Financial empowerment is emotional.
Our highest-viewed branded example, a Sweepstakes & LTO spot, drove 8.4M views. But the formats that audiences remember and trust most is edutainment, creator-led storytelling, and emotional finance content.
Only 1% of under-35 investors came from Ivy League schools. 54% came from Tier 4. This generation is  self-made.
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Who is this report for?

This is essential reading for:

Financial Services marketers trying to cut through
the scroll.
Creative teams building branded content that actually lands.
Product and UX leads designing money tools that feel native to this generation.
CMOs & brand strategists seeking loyalty from a notoriously skeptical audience.

Whether you’re a startup, a legacy bank, or somewhere in-between, this guide shows how to meet the new investor class where they are and grow with them.
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What You’ll Learn:

Relatability Beats Authority,
Under-35s trust people, not platforms. Creators like Your Rich BFF, BreakYourBudget, and Her First 100K dominate financial influence by relatable teaching.
TikTok Is the Finance Classroom Now
Short-form explainers, budgeting hacks, and viral storytelling lead the way, with TikTok affinity at 99.9% among the under-35s finance audience
Content That Converts? It’s Emotional and Educational
Top-performing themes include:
1. Millionaire Challenge videos (4.8M views)
2. Extreme Spending Stories (“She drained her 401k to buy a PC”)
3. Wealth Psychology & Habits content that inspires  and teaches
UX That Teaches Wins
Platforms like Wealthfront and M1 Finance win on retention. High stickiness and long visit durations come from coaching UX.
Finance Is Now Identity Content
Money talk lives alongside fashion, skincare, and mental health. This audience scrolls for clarity so financial brands must feel as seamless as a lifestyle brand.