The data is clear: on the whole, Gen Z is taking investment shortcuts because their financial futures seem dire. Open TikTok on any random day and you’re just as likely to see someone dropping $100 on a sports parlay as an “investment strategy” as you are to hear about someone putting $100 into the stock market.

Here’s what the actual data shows and why Gen Z might have the right to be concerned.

The Financial Pressure Is Real

While TikTok can only provide anecdotal information about the state of Gen Z, the hard data seems to back it up. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2026 Planning & Progress Study, nearly three in four Gen Z adults said financial pressure…