COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of people’s lives and a looming recession means the worst may yet be in store. Having grown up in the wake of the 2008 crash, Gen Zers are already alert to financial precarity, but how will coming of age during a pandemic shape their relationship with money?

A banking chatbot named Zelf is launching to help young people manage online payments using messenger platforms. With Gen Zers showing higher financial conscientiousness, brands can echo familiar platforms to make money management easier and enable frictionless transactions.

Berlin-based digital bank N26 may not have any branches, but it’s still connecting with consumers across the world. It has attracted tech-savvy Gen Zers and Yers – along with other neobanks – with one-touch money management using smartphone-friendly features and economical borderless banking.

Fast fashion is dying – or so they say. While many major headlines allude to Gen Zers' changing ideals and social values (demanding more sustainable and eco-friendly practises), the numbers are telling a different story – that this generation isn’t quite ready to ditch fast fashion hauling.