The report examines attitudes and behaviours around investing among two Gen Z segments (ages 18 to 25) in the United States - those with and those without any investment accounts - and compares them with their investing millennial and Gen X counterparts. The report also profiles Gen Z investors in Canada, the United Kingdom and China and compares them with their counterparts in the United States.

Key findings include:

• Despite their young age, a large percentage of Gen Zs in the United States invest, with cryptocurrency as their top choice: 56% report owning at least some investments. They primarily invest in cryptocurrency (55%) and individual stocks (41%). They are less likely than their older counterparts to use mutual funds and are more likely, along with millennials, to invest in crypto and non-fungible tokens compared with Gen Xers.
• Gen Z investors in the United States use a variety of resources to learn about investing: They learn about investing and finances primarily through social media (48%), internet searches (47%) and parents/family (45%). Their top online resource is YouTube (60%) followed by internet searches, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Reddit and Facebook.
• Gen Z investors in the United States are risk-takers: Almost half (46%) are willing to take substantial or above-average financial risks. 50% say they have made an investment driven by their fear of missing out (FOMO).
• Barriers to investing: Gen Zs in the United States who are not yet investing cite lack of savings (65%), not having enough income/living paycheck-to-paycheck (64%) and lack of knowledge about investing (56%) as the primary reasons why.
• Like their counterparts in the United States, Gen Zs around the world are investing in large numbers: Among the countries covered by the study, Canada has the highest percentage of Gen Z investors, with nearly 74% saying they own at least one investment, compared to 56% in the United States, 49% in the United Kingdom and 57% in China.