Forget the avocado toast clichés – Generation Z is putting its money where its future is.
According to new data from the World Economic Forum, a third of Gen Z (those aged 18 to 27) have already begun investing.
That’s double the rate of millennials and six times that of baby boomers at the same age.
While regulators wring their hands over TikTok traders and crypto cowboys, let’s take a moment to welcome something long overdue: young people taking charge of their financial futures.
New wave of risk-takers should be applauded
In the West Midlands – where industrial revolutions were forged from steel and steam – this new wave of digital-age risk-takers should be applauded. Because if Britain is to become a wealthier, more ambitious nation, we must learn to embrace investment and enterprise culture, not fear it.
Yes, some of them are dabbling in volatile crypto assets. And yes, there are charlatans flogging trading courses from rented Lambos. But look past the noise and you’ll find a generation hungry to learn, to grow wealth, and to build. They’re using low-cost platforms, engaging with AI tools, and tuning into money podcasts instead of reality TV. That’s a cultural shift, not a crisis.
Of course, the Financial Conduct Authority has concerns. Fair enough. We need guardrails, not buzzkill. Encouraging young investors to move towards stocks, bonds, and long-term strategies is wise – but let’s not squash their spirit. After all, even seasoned investors make mistakes. What matters is participation, education, and a shift from consumer to stakeholder thinking.
The UK has long lagged behind the US in share ownership and financial literacy. Gen Z is changing that. The FCA wants more Brits with over £10k invested in mainstream assets by 2030 – well, here’s your cohort.
“Go on then, have a go”
So let’s stop patronising young investors and start empowering them. Financial freedom starts with financial courage. And the West Midlands – once the cradle of bold invention – should be the first to say: “Go on then, have a go.”
We won’t build a richer nation by keeping money in savings accounts. We’ll do it by backing our young people to take risks, make mistakes, and learn faster than others did.
