58% of Gen Z and young millennials say financial brand language doesn’t reflect how they actually talk about money, Reach3 Insights study finds

New research highlights the disconnect between traditional financial messaging and how younger consumers experience money through apps, accounts and everyday transactions.

Chicago — 19 March 2026 — A majority of young Americans say the way financial brands talk about money does not match how they think about it. A new U.S. study from Reach3 Insights, a full-service insights consultancy pioneering AI-accelerated conversational research methods, finds that 58% of Gen Z and young millennials (18-34) say financial brand language does not reflect how they actually think or talk about money.

The study also found that 42% say the language used by financial companies feels out of touch with their real life, while one-third say it sounds aimed at an older generation. Many respondents said financial messaging often relies on terminology that feels overly technical or disconnected from the way they manage money through everyday digital tools.

The research suggests the disconnect extends beyond messaging. When asked where their money “lives,” Gen Z respondents most often associated it with accounts such as checking or savings (41%) or specific apps they use, such as banking or payment apps (24%), rather than with financial institutions themselves.

“The way financial institutions organize products doesn’t always match how younger consumers experience money,” said Leigh Admirand, executive vice president at Reach3 Insights. “For many younger consumers, money shows up through apps, transactions and everyday financial decisions rather than formal categories like banking or payments. When messaging relies heavily on institutional language, brands risk not resonating with younger consumers.”

Despite the language gap, the study found several consistent drivers behind Gen Z’s financial decision-making. When choosing a bank, respondents most often cited low fees or competitive rates (37%), security and fraud protection (34%), and brand reputation and trust (31%) as their top priorities. Transparency and clarity of terms (24%) and digital experience or the ability to manage finances from a phone (23%) also ranked highly.

The study also explored where younger consumers turn for financial guidance. Many Gen Z respondents said they rely on family members, online search, friends or peers, and social media platforms when learning about financial tools or decisions, reflecting how financial education increasingly happens through personal networks and digital channels.

As Gen Z preferences change over time, modern research solutions like Reach3’s Message Testing and Journey Mapping can help brands engage high-quality participants via a certified panel to understand the underlying motivations, attitudes and emotions driving behaviors.

“To understand how financial relationships are forming today, brands need research that captures how people actually talk about and experience money,” Admirand added. “Conversational research techniques that seamlessly blend quantitative rigor, qualitative depth, and video-based feedback let participants explain their financial lives in their own words, revealing the context behind their decisions.”

For this study, Reach3 surveyed 450 U.S. adults ages 18–34, balanced to the U.S. census on age and gender. It was fielded last month on Rival Group’s certified, video-validated proprietary consumer panel using Reach3’s conversational research techniques. The survey was powered by Rival Technologies, a leading insights platform that captures mobile chat-based, in-the-moment consumer feedback quickly and at scale.

For more information and additional findings, visit: https://www.reach3insights.com/blog/gen-z-financial-language.

About Reach3 Insights

Reach3 Insights is an award-winning, full-service strategic insights consultancy helping leading brands uncover deeper truths and turn human understanding into business impact. Combining industry expertise with AI-driven conversational research methodologies, Reach3 captures the context, emotions and motivations behind consumer behavior for brands like Coca-Cola, John Deere, PayPal, Samsung and Mars. Through agile research design and story-driven activation, Reach3 delivers richer, more authentic insights that inspire confident decisions and measurable growth. Part of Rival Group, Reach3 was recognized as a Top 5 most innovative full-service agency in Greenbook’s 2025 GRIT report. Learn more at reach3insights.com.

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Marie Melsheimer
marie@andremktg.com
+1-541-815-3951