While many teens are still learning to drive or preparing for college, a growing number of Gen Zers are learning how to read stock charts, balance risk, and build serious investment portfolios. Thanks to a combination of tech-savviness, AI-powered research tools, and entrepreneurial hustle, today’s young investors are entering the market earlier than ever often turning summer job earnings into substantial financial gains before they even graduate high school.
According to the 2024 Charles Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, Gen Z is diving into investing at an unprecedented pace, with the average investor buying their first stock by age 19—well ahead of Millennials (age 25) and Gen X (age 32). Behind this early momentum is a mix of digital tools like ChatGPT, support from financially informed parents, and lessons from side gigs and part-time jobs.
Take Ryan Sorrell, for instance. At just 15, he’s turning an $800-a-month paycheck from bussing tables into cryptocurrency investments, including Bitcoin and MicroStrategy stock. He began his investing journey at age 8 and uses AI to model future returns. “It helps me a lot to just run through scenarios, to see where I’d be if I did that in, like, 10 years’ time,” he told The New York Post. His approach reflects a major shift in mindset: “I’m putting it in the market and making a return instead of just losing it for, like, a pair of shoes or something.”
Sophia Castiblanco, now 18, got her start investing at 14 using income from her toy review YouTube channel. Initially committing $300 a month, she now invests $3,000 monthly into companies like Tesla, Nvidia, and Amazon. Even amid market volatility, she’s unfazed: “I think it’s a great time to put money into the market.” Her long-term goal? Real estate for passive income. She also champions the idea of early financial education: “It would be so beneficial if schools had a finance class at a young age so that students actually develop some more financial literacy.”
Perrin Myerson, now 22, began his journey on Reddit’s WallStreetBets at age 14 and quickly funneled fast-food paychecks into stocks like Palantir and Amazon. With guidance from his father, he moved from a practice account to real investments and now runs his own startup with a 51% return on investments. His warning to peers? “Too many people my age are looking for get-rich-quick schemes.”
Then there’s Isaiah Jones, a 16-year-old from Richmond, Virginia, who built a crypto portfolio with money from mowing lawns. According to him, trading isn’t niche anymore—“it’s mainstream” at his school, with classmates checking their portfolios between classes.
Still, financial experts urge caution. Brian Belski, Chief Investment Strategist at BMO Capital Markets, advises: “Always invest in things that you’re using.” In an era of meme stocks and crypto hype, grounding investment decisions in reality is crucial.
From fast-food wages to YouTube revenue, Gen Z is proving that financial ambition doesn’t have to wait for adulthood. With the right tools and a bit of guidance, they’re turning youthful energy into wealth-building strategies—and rewriting what it means to be money-savvy at any age.
