Aimed at kids: Some apps market their products and services to teens in a way that makes them feel like an adult, taking parents out of the picture. The target age is typically 16 and older, since there are various age requirements for opening a checking account.
Who’s doing it? Many UK-based apps use this tactic, including Monzo, Starling, and Revolut.
Pros: Advertising accounts with capabilities similar to almost “everything that adults can do,” as Monzo does, can bring in older teen customers at a key time. These customers are on the cusp of their adult life, and building a relationship with them at this stage could lead to long-term trust and stickiness.
Cons: Apps that have an “adult lite” version must figure out how to carefully transition young customers from a more junior version without also alienating parents who feel like they are losing control. These apps must demonstrate to parents that their financial literacy tools provided a good foundation in the junior version of the app, and potentially explore ways to help teens feel connected with their parents, but not controlled.
Engagement through gamification: Nearly all youth- and teen-focused banking apps offer some type of financial literacy program. The main approach to these programs is gamifying the learning process. Users are often monetarily rewarded for completing a task like saving or investing, or they play games and level up to learn new financial information.
Who’s doing it? Nearly every youth banking app offers some type of financial learning game. Some examples include US-based Zogo and UK-based tendy.
Pros: Games and rewards can be a huge motivator for young people to save and invest money.
Apps that let users earn something new each day, compete against other users, or achieve and unlock new levels will keep those users coming back for more.
Cons: A gamified banking experience could unintentionally promote undesirable, addictive behaviors in younger cohorts, like gambling. This concern has caused regulators to step in and warn banks to be careful of the gamification tactics they use in their apps. This is especially important in apps that let teens invest—and more importantly in apps like Step, that allow teens to dabble in the crypto markets.
What’s next? FIs are still figuring out what works best when it comes to youth and teen banking. It will take some time for them to learn if these tactics will entice younger customers to stick around into their more profitable adulthood. But still, as this cohort grows up, all FIs must consider what changes they’ll need to make to their future customer acquisition plans.
- Fintechs and digital banks must stay up to date with youth banking regulations, as crackdowns on gamification may be coming. They must also ask if their financial literacy modules are truly teaching financial lessons or just bright, shiny objects that attract more users. Will the customers-in-training learn enough to fully utilize all of the products and services the FI can offer in the future? Or will they play the games, earn rewards, and then move on?
- Incumbent banks should also have a game plan around these future customers. They’ve been slow at digitization and less nimble at making changes to their operating models. If they can’t quickly and effectively offer similar services to younger customers, they should consider partnering with or acquiring a youth-focused fintech.
- All FIs vying for young customers must also look at how these cohorts differ from earlier generations. For example, work/life balance is becoming much more important to younger generations than remaining loyal to one company. Gen Z is now changing jobs at a pace 134% higher than in 2019, and 75% of Gen Zers say they're willing to switch career paths entirely and look for jobs in new industries. Their approach to banking may be similar. FIs must constantly assess how their services make these consumers’ lives better, rather than relying on the intangible sense of loyalty that kept their parents around.