- 41% of respondents pointed to social media and online communities as a primary source of their crypto knowledge, while another 29% cited AI chatbots.
- Crypto is viewed primarily as a wealth-building tool, with 39% citing faster wealth creation as their main reason for investing and only 6% pointing to FOMO.
- 4 in 5 respondents link their appetite for investment risk to feeling financially behind where they expected to be.
According to CEX.IO data, drawn from a sample of more than 3 million users across 150+ countries, Gen Z is the fastest-growing age group of active participants in crypto markets. In 2025, unique users aged 18-25 performing any financial operation on an exchange grew 88% compared to 2024, while spot trading volume rose 144% over the same period.
That growth raises an obvious question: as more young adults enter crypto markets, where are they actually learning about them? To find out, CEX.IO surveyed 1,200 U.S. Gen Z adults aged 18-27.
Gen Z Still Rely More on Social Media Than AI for Crypto Advice
Asked where they primarily get crypto-specific information, 41% of respondents pointed to social media and online communities, while another 29% cited AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Claude. Together, that means 7 in 10 Gen Z crypto investors rely primarily on AI or social media when learning about digital assets.
The result broadly mirrors trends already identified across traditional finance. Wells Fargo’s 2026 Money Study found Gen Z’s use of AI for financial advice running roughly double the general population, alongside heavy reliance on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and online communities. Separately, a TD Bank survey found AI adoption for financial decisions highest among Gen Z at 77%.
What stands out in crypto is that social media still ranks notably ahead of AI.
That may reflect the nature of the asset class itself. Unlike traditional investments, crypto remains highly community-driven. New narratives, projects, and trends often emerge first through online discussions, and social platforms before appearing in traditional financial coverage. AI may increasingly help Gen Z interpret information, but communities remain where much of that information originates.
Gen Z Perceive Crypto As a Way To Build Wealth Faster
The survey suggests Gen Z is not primarily turning to AI and social media to chase trends, but for educational purposes and as a way to improve their financial future.
Asked why they invest in crypto, the largest group (39%) said it offers a faster way to build wealth than traditional saving methods. Another 28% said crypto is simply one part of a diversified investment portfolio.
By comparison, only 6% said their main reason for investing was that people they follow online were doing it.
The result challenges one of the most common assumptions about young investors. While social media plays a major role in how Gen Z learns about crypto, very few say social influence itself is the primary reason they invest. As a result, the channels may be social, but the motivation appears largely financial.
Feeling Behind Financially Is Driving Risk-Taking
The survey also provides clues about why wealth-building resonates so strongly with younger investors.
More than half of respondents (54%) said feeling financially behind where they expected to be is a major reason they take higher investment risks, while another 27% said it’s better to have crypto than not and include it in a diversified portfolio.
That suggests that the majority of Gen Z crypto investors link their willingness to take on risk, including crypto exposure, to concerns about their current financial position.
The finding closely aligns with broader generational research showing Gen Z is more likely than older age groups to feel financially behind and seek faster routes toward wealth creation. For many respondents, crypto appears to be viewed as one of those routes.
Crypto Is Part Of A Bigger Goal: Financial Independence
Although most respondents stated that they receive some form of financial support from parents, 41% said their ideal situation would involve no financial assistance at all, preferring to stand entirely on their own despite economic headwinds.
When asked to choose between financial comfort with family support versus a tougher road with full freedom, 39% selected the harder path. Another 26% want a phased approach, suggesting that even those accepting help view it as temporary. Combined, 65% of respondents see parental financial involvement as something to minimize or eliminate entirely.&
The same mindset appears in their investment goals.
Nearly half (44%) expect crypto to be one of the main ways they build wealth over the next five years, while another 46% believe it will play at least some meaningful role. Taken together, the results suggest Gen Z sees crypto less as a short-term speculation and more as part of a broader effort to gain financial autonomy.
What It Means
The survey paints a picture of a generation approaching crypto differently from many stereotypes. Gen Z crypto investors overwhelmingly learn through AI tools and online communities. Yet the data suggests they are not primarily motivated by hype or social influence. Instead, they are using those channels to pursue goals that are fundamentally financial: building wealth faster, catching up financially, and ultimately becoming more independent.
As Gen Z becomes an increasingly important part of the crypto market, the platforms shaping their decisions may matter just as much as the assets themselves.
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