Changing the game: How Gen-Z is gamifying investing

Armed with unprecedented access to financial information, a dopamine-fuelled relationship with technology, and a soft spot for sleek UX design, Gen-Z is democratising the investment landscape. Traditionally, the stock market has been a cryptic space accessible only to the elite. Today it’s a totally different landscape – less cigars and calling your broker, more playing games on the sofa. 

Today, portfolios go everywhere with us, always accessible – whether we’re on the tube, at our desk, or doing the weekly shop, always only an arm’s reach away. Waiting for us inside the shiny rectangles that live in our pockets, sending us little messages throughout the day. 

The strategic integration of sleek design and gamified features – like notifications and calls to action, rewards, and leaderboards – is making investing more fun, more accessible, and yes, more addictive than ever. It’s no wonder then, that Gen-Z are drawn to tools that meet them where they are: online. 

An estimated 55% of Gen-Z are already investing through apps. According to the World Economic Forum, 30% began during university or early adulthood – double the rate of Millennials (15%) and far higher than Gen-X (9%) or Baby Boomers (6%). This early start means the “gamer generation” is already shaping the global markets.  

Gen-Z’s influence is especially clear in the rise of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities. According to SEC Newgate’s 2024 Responsible Business Report, Gen-Z expects companies to be more transparent and actively engaged with environmental and political. In response, companies are reshaping their ESG strategies, not just to meet regulatory requirements, but to resonate with this values-driven generation.  

Brands are increasingly using platforms like Instagram and TikTok to showcase their sustainability credentials – from carbon-neutral goals to ethical sourcing stories. For Gen-Z, it’s not just about corporate responsibility – it’s about visibility: being seen doing good. In the gamified world of modern investing, they back the companies they see playing their own game – not NPCs. 

According to Morgan Stanley’s 2025 Sustainable Signals report, 68% of Gen-Z investors have over 20% of their portfolios in sustainable assets – nearly double Gen-X (37%) and triple Baby Boomers (22%). Another 80% plan to increase their allocations within the next year. With the rise of gamified apps like Robinhood, Acorns, and Public – offering real-time data, personalised advice, and interactive learning tools – these plans are quickly becoming action.  

But is gamification bad for investing? 

Traditionalists might argue that it encourages overconfidence, detachment from risk and impulsive decisions. Yet, we can’t ignore its benefits: financial accessibility, enhanced liquidity and active participant from young investors in shaping their own financial futures.  

Maybe when kids ask if we have any games on our phone, we should start showing them our portfolios.