Chime Declares 2024 as “The Year of #FinTok”

Chime analyzed #FinTok using AI and other tools to find the top 10 #FinTok trends this year:

• Girl Math
• Cash Stuffing
• Loud Budgeting
• Money Dysmorphia
• Underconsumption
• Digital Minimalism
• Financial Therapy
• Phantom Debt
• No-Spend Challenge
• De-Influencing

While TikTok is still home to hilarious memes and viral dance challenges, #FinTok is quickly turning into a mini classroom where people of all ages can access bite-sized money tips to level up their finances.

According to our survey, many Americans got their financial information from family members (47%) or friends (40%) before #FinTok existed. Today, TikTok is leading the way, with many turning to influencers on the platform for money tips. On average, our survey respondents said they discovered 42 new pieces of financial knowledge through #FinTok. And here’s what they’re searching for most when scrolling through it:

• Budgeting/saving (25%)
• Investment (24%)
• Credit cards/credit scores (22%)
• Inflation (20%)
• Cash flow (19%)

Using survey data, we predict the top #FinTok information and trends for 2025 will be:

• Setting up a budget
• Getting out of debt
• Starting a business
• Purchasing a home
• Teaching children about finances

With 53% of survey respondents planning to use #FinTok more in the year ahead, the rise of #FinTok shows no stopping in 2025. Whether you plan to try out the trends from #FinTok next year or stick to the basics, Chime offers a suite of tools to help you Unlock Financial Progress in 2025.

Rianka Dorsainvil, Chime’s Consumer Certified Financial Planner, agrees. “The advent of TikTok has made financial information and budgeting tips more accessible and digestible,” she said. “Armed with knowledge from #FinTok and free online budgeting tools like those available from Chime, consumers are feeling more empowered to take their finances into their own hands and unlock their financial progress.” When you combine #FinTok with free tools from Chime like those below, you reap even more benefits. Remember to talk to a financial advisor for specific guidance.

• 65% of Americans feel more financially secure since using FinTok.
• 68% of Americans say #FinTok has improved their financial situation at home.
• 53% of Americans are planning to use #FinTok more in 2025 than they did in 2024.
• In 2024, Americans used #FinTok to search for tips and information on budgeting/saving (25%), investment (24%), credit cards/credit scores (22%), inflation (20%), and cash flow (19%)
• 39% of Americans plan to use #FinTok to set up a budget in 2025. Another 37% and 19% plan to use it to get out of debt and start a business, respectively.
• Americans were more likely to go to other social media sites for information (40%) than they were financial websites or blog posts (37%).
• 50% believe that the information they get on #FinTok is better than other sources they’ve used.
• 15% of Gen Zers have never met with a financial advisor or bank worker in person, compared to 27% of baby boomers.
• 32% of Americans say they’re embarrassed about asking their loved ones for financial guidance.
• 47% of Americans trust Google® more than #FinTok for financial information.
• 52% of Americans turn to search engines like Google to gather more information about things they learn on #FinTok.
• Prior to #FinTok, respondents typically got their financial advice from family members (47%) or friends (40%).
• Gen Z gained an average of 49 new pieces of information on #FinTok, millennials gained 44, and baby boomers gained an average of 32.
• 27% of Gen Z learned about finances in school or an educational setting, as opposed to Gen X or baby boomers (both 8%).
• In 2024, 38% tried “side hustling,” 25% tried the “pay off debt trend,” 25% tried “passive income”, 20% tried “crypto investing”, 20% tried the “no spend challenge,” 17% tried “cash stuffing,” and 16% tried the “100 envelope method.”
• Americans stick with a new #FinTok trend for an average of four weeks.
• Americans found an average of 44% #FinTok trends to be successful.
• Respondents determine the success of a #FinTok trend by seeing benefits (46%), learning something new (36%), or feeling more confident in their financial ability (33%).
• “Budgeting/saving” (25%), “investing” (24%), “credit/credit scores” (22%), “inflation” (20%), and “cash flow” (19%) were the most searched terms on FinTok this year.
• 48% of Americans believe that they have more financial knowledge than other people in their lives.
• 76% of Americans are open with their friends and family about using FinTok for financial planning. Millennials are the most open generation, as 36% are “very open” about their FinTok usage, compared to just 24% of baby boomers.
• 44% of Americans polled agree that those who are not on social media are doing themselves a disservice, not just financially but culturally.
• 22% of Americans have more trust in #FinTok influencers who are older than them, and they seek out information from those who are where they want to be in the future (38%) and have a lot of followers (23%).

For more information and to check out the fin-glossary and quiz, head to chimefintok.com.