if you've scrolled through TikTok, you've seen some financial play.

from legit financial professionals getting their message out to the outright fraud; the meme coin rugs, bank hacks, and pay-to-access manifesting wealth. most of us can spot the blatant. it's the gradient in-between that's the problem.

the fire crypto bets, the hype stock picks, and the cheat code passive income schemes. 

if you're like most Gen Z, you're initially skeptical. the nature of the beast is that really good creators can make you question, "yeah, but-what if?"

here's the truth:

71% of the financial advice you're seeing on social media is sketchy, at best, according to the research below.

the problem is worse than you think

Social Capital Markets analyzed over 2,470 stock-related videos across social platforms. TikTok emerged as the single most problematic source for financial guidance. 

• 83% of videos lack basic risk disclaimers

• 70% push specific stock investments without proper context

• 57% imply guaranteed returns (no investment is guaranteed)

• 45% tell you exactly how much of your income to invest, a personal decision that should be based on your reality, not theirs

• only 13% of the creators analyzed have actual qualifications to give financial advice

that last one. almost 90% of people confidently explaining how to "build wealth" here have zero credentials to back it up.

but also, some really great financial voices use TikTok to reach Gen Z because → huge insight → this is how Gen Z likes to consume content.

the Gen Z fintok paradox → biggest consumers & biggest skeptics

here's where it gets interesting. Gen Z is the generation most likely to consume financial content on TikTok, Gen Z is also the most skeptical of it. according to GoBankingRates in Yahoo Finance, 53% of Gen Z say TikTok is the least trustworthy source for financial advice. higher than any other generation.

so what does this mean? Gen Z is caught in a paradox:

• consuming more (short) financial content than any previous generation

• trusting it less than anyone else

• still making decisions based on content seen here

this creates infinite complexity for Gen Z. not blindly following advice like generations before, but also navigating a minefield of misinformation while trying to figure out real financial decisions.

more advice isn’t a solution

stop looking for shortcuts. 

stop waiting for the next  "money hack."

the baseline for Gen Z's financial literacy is far more complex and polarized. anyone claiming to have simple solutions is trying to sell you something. 

you're dealing with student debt, erratic gig income, everything is a subscription, inflation, (deflation?), and an economy that looks like someone tossed the monopoly board in a blender.

you don't need more advice. you need a money mindset.

as usa today recently explored, Gen Z's relationship with money is fundamentally different. it's shaped by only knowing a world of economic uncertainty, having digital native behaviors, and a deep distrust of traditional financial institutions. 

the solution isn't finding the "right" influencer to follow. there is value there, but its not the answer. start by building a simple toolkit to address the basics with common sense and a healthy relationship with money.

where do we start?

financial independence starts with defining, or redefining, your relationship with money. 

this means:

1. understanding your actual financial reality (not your perception of it)

2. building habits based on behavioral psych (not trends)

3. using proven financial frameworks (not hacks)

4. create personalized plans (not the out-of-the-box solutions your parents had)

the goal isn't to become a day trader or build a fat crypto wallet overnight. it's to develop the financial thinking used by actual advisors and money managers. the kind of clarity that reduces anxiety and builds confidence in your daily money decisions. 

clarity + ownership + plan = independence

sound familiar?

the bottom line

don’t stop following the right people on TikTok. it’s just a medium. sorry marshall, the message and its context are everything again. 

hearing the right thing, at the right time, helps reinforce a good foundation. instead of discounting the entire platform, even if most of the financial content is toxic sludge, build the money mindset that helps you to sniff out the yolo money hacks before the beat drops. 

you deserve better than guessing which viral advice might actually work. 

you deserve tools that give you complete visibility over your money. 

to understand real-world impacts of your behaviors. 

and build a healthy money mindset focused on a bright financial future. 

the playing field isn't level. but that doesn't mean you have to end up under the bus. learn to navigate it like the professionals do, with clarity, confidence, and a foundation built on your financial reality.

financial anxiety is real. so is the solution: a money mindset that works for you, and your future.