Central to entrepreneurial success is the ability to understand and listen to the market. This makes it possible to anticipate and take advantage of opportunities based on emerging trends.

Among the many disruptive forces shaping the financial landscape in recent times has been the proliferation of app-based trading platforms. These often feature gamification, fractionalisation and offer affordable pricing.

Australian-born trading platform Stake, which allows zero-fee brokerage access to US shares, has amassed well over 300,000 customers since launching in 2017⁹. Zip Pay and Afterpay backed platform Superhero signed its 100,000th customer in July 2021 after just 11 months in operation.¹⁰

At the same time, we’ve seen rapid growth in financial and investing ‘tips’ on social media. The ‘finfluencer’ phenomenon is playing out on social media channels where some videos using hashtags like #stocktok and #crypto have garnered millions – or even billions – of views. Younger consumers are attracted to finfluencers because of how they explain complex financial concepts in simple, engaging ways.

A third trend skewed towards younger investors is the growing demand for investments that have a positive environmental or social impact. According to 2020 research by the Responsible Investments Association of Australia (RIAA), 80% of Australians want to choose environmentally friendly investments, while 64% believe societal issues are a key consideration for how their money is invested. The same survey found that 9 in 10 Australians believe it’s important that their financial adviser provides responsible or ethical options.¹¹

The financial outlook for Millennials and Generation Z is bright. As the most educated generations in history, many younger adults are now in highly paid professional roles. They’re also on the cusp of benefitting from the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history, which will see an estimated $3.5 trillion handed down to them over the next two decades.¹²

Even so, these generations have been ignored by many established advice practices, while being pigeonholed as not needing, or unwilling to pay for, financial advice. However, advisers who are listening to the advice needs of younger Australians are positioning their businesses for a sustainable future.