Embracing Chaos: How Monzo Became Gen Z’s Favourite Financial App

Despite facing the most uncertain economic conditions in recent history, Gen Z’s spending hasn’t slowed down, making way for more impulse purchases. But this isn’t financial recklessness, it's a cultural recalibration.

Gen Z is saying “f*ck it.”

And smart brands like Monzo are listening.

At Pion, we empower brands like Adidas, Wagamama, Apple, and H&M to leverage these shifts and stay ahead of the competition.

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Crisis After Crisis… And Still Spending

Gen Z came of age during a time of economic instability: a global pandemic, multiple recessions, a cost-of-living crisis, and a climate emergency. These days, dreams of home ownership, job security and stable savings are a luxury many young people don’t have.

The house price index has increased by 50% in the last four years. Gen Z homebuyers now face mortgages double the repayment size of earlier generations. Rising inflation is leading to higher interest rates in the UK, whilst 2024 saw the highest US inflation rate in fifty years. 

Gen Z is plagued by a lack of financial security much greater than previous generations.

But scrolling through social media - between the endless TikTok hauls, the new trending products every week and the popularity of luxury brand coffee shops - you’d think otherwise.

Yet paradoxically, this generation’s spending power is on the rise. 

So, why is Gen Z spending so much?

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Gen Z’s ‘F*ck It’ Mindset

In our 2025 Youth Trends Report, we examined a cultural shift toward what we’re calling The F*ck It Bucket: a mindset that prioritizes the present over planning, joy over guilt.

76% of UK Gen Zers and 71% of US Gen Zers say they make impulse purchases to relieve stress and improve their mood. But Gen Z is aware of the irony of coping with financial insecurity with… impulse purchases.

“I’m trying to start saving, but that’s not really how life works. I’d rather enjoy living in the moment,” shares one Gen Zer, Rebecca.

This paradox - the awareness of economic instability, paired with a compulsion to spend anyway - is central to understanding the Gen Z consumer. They’re not naive or unaware. But when the future feels impossible to plan for, living in the moment feels like the best option.

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Monzo: A Financial App with a Voice

Few brands use humour successfully to resonate with Gen Z. But Monzo gets it right.

Financial app Monzo has risen in popularity among young people over the last few years, racking up 85K TikTok and 100K Instagram followers by showing up as more than just a bank - they’re a safe space for students and young professionals.

Monzo’s 2024 “Year in Review” campaign was a perfect imitation of Gen Z embracing chaos. 

The Spotify Wrapped-esque feature offered users a humorous, highly shareable snapshot of their spending habits across the year, from how much they spent every month, to the top places they spent at.

Needless to say, it got the desired reaction. 

Horrified reactions from Gen Zers discovering their Year in Review flooded TikTok and Instagram. All in good faith, of course, as Gen Z is more than partial to irony and self-deprecating humour. 

From ranking in the top 0.01% of McDonald’s consumers to tripling their spendings in June for inexplicable reasons, Gen Zers enjoyed exposing their spending habits online, embracing the fact that Monzo “ate them up.”

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Making Financial Chaos Relatable

Why did it work so well?

Because it was judgement-free. Monzo didn’t shame users for their late-night takeout binges or their unnecessary Amazon splurges. They leaned into the chaos.

Vani Goel, Product Manager at Monzo, explained:

“Everywhere we looked, we saw contrasting moments and emotions… capturing the range of spicy, silly, chaotic, iconic moments that made 2024 feel like a whole entire mood.”

It was a campaign built on emotional relevance, not product features. And it tapped into something powerful: the desire for community. The Monzo Year in Review wasn’t just a feature. It was a cultural moment to be a part of.

How many young people switched from Apple Music to Spotify when Spotify Wrapped first dropped?

Numerous Gen Zers who weren’t previously using Monzo now wanted to - out of curiosity regarding their spending habits, but mostly to be included in the joke, to be part of the moment.

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What Can Brands Learn From This?

Here’s the reality: brands shouldn’t seek to exploit Gen Z’s nihilistic and impulsive tendencies. Gen Zers know when they’re overspending; an awareness which signifies a change in behaviour might be coming (peep the #underconsumption tag on TikTok). 

For brands to gain long-term consumers, they need to resonate with Gen Z; connect with this pro-chaos generation on a human level. 

If a bank can do it, so can you.

As our 2025 Youth Trends Report notes:

“The most effective campaigns aren’t preaching restraint, nor are they encouraging reckless spending. Instead, they’re meeting Gen Z where they are: caught between economic anxiety and the very human desire to find joy, connection, and meaning in challenging times.”

Gen Z’s “f*ck it” mentality reflects a generation ready to connect with brands that understand and adapt to their reality.

It’s an opportunity for brands to join in on the chaos.

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