Drawing insights from the spending, saving and borrowing habits of Standard Bank and Liberty customers under 35, the second edition of Standard Bank's Youth Barometer reveals a generation balancing ambition with financial reality.
Yet adaptation should not be mistaken for a lesser ambition. While affordability and value are increasingly influencing financial decisions, young consumers continue to pursue many of the same goals as previous generations.
The difference is that they are finding new, more practical and often more innovative ways to achieve them.
Developed in partnership with Youth Dynamics (YDX) and Liberty, the 2026 Youth Barometer reveals that South African youth are engaging more intentionally with credit, savings, investments and long-term financial planning than they are often given credit for.
They are still pursuing many of the milestones traditionally associated with independence.
They are buying homes despite affordability pressures, using debt strategically to build financial credibility, and connecting with savings, investment and insurance products earlier than many anticipated.
They make practical, value-driven decisions when buying a car, resulting in the automotive market being reshaped through the rise of Chinese brands.
What makes these findings even more important is the reality that young people are adapting to today.
Young South Africans are coming of age in an economy where a tertiary qualification no longer guarantees a professional job and where the path to financial stability is much less predictable than for previous generations.
“Today's youth are pursuing these goals in a world where the path to sustainability has become far more complex, expensive and uncertain. Instead of being intimidated by this economic uncertainty, rising living costs and delays in life milestones, they are adapting their financial behavior to navigate these realities,” says Tshiamo Molanda, head of personal banking South Africa at Standard Bank.
SA's youth are adapting to a new reality
“For me, the most compelling finding is not what young people are doing with their money, but rather how their choices shape how they navigate adulthood in a rapidly changing world,” says Andrea Krucher, director of Youth Dynamics.
Standard Bank partnered with Youth Dynamics to ensure that the 2026 edition was more than a financial report by adding the voice of a customer, explaining why young people behave the way they do with money.
“It was important to bring a broader context to the research because young people are often viewed through stereotypes or outdated norms,” says Molanda.
“This report shows that South Africa's youth have not diminished their ambitions. They are adapting to a new reality where the path to freedom, stability and opportunity is more complex.”
Proactively Building Financial Flexibility
Zandile Makhoba, head of research and insights at Liberty, says this socio-economic context has created a generation that is making surprisingly mature financial decisions, often from an early age because they do not take financial security for granted.
They are coming of age in a world where incomes are less predictable, as careers become increasingly non-linear.
“The finding that young South Africans are thinking about their financial future much earlier than many points to a generation that is actively building financial resilience,” says Makhoba.
New emerging topics from the report
Based on credit card-only analysis from the past year, this edition provides a comprehensive view of youth borrowing behavior across the entire personal credit landscape. The report analyzes the uptake and use of credit cards, revolving facilities and term loans, revealing how young people use these different products.
- Credit Cards vs. Other Loan Products
Emergencies and unexpected expenses remain the primary borrowing drivers for other personal loan products. However, credit cards are largely used to manage cash flow and fund everyday expenses as people under 35 channel a significant portion of their income through their cards for daily purchases and then settle the balance immediately to maximize rewards and benefits.
- debt consolidation
Optimizing finances around the age of 30-35, consolidating high-cost debt into a single repayment and using personal loans to improve cash flow becomes more prominent as they take on more financial responsibilities.
- Ignoring reasons for borrowing
Home improvements and funding troubles are more common than often recorded reasons for borrowing.
- Aspirations and ownership trends: The report explores asset ownership preferences but emphasizes the growing importance of access over ownership.
- car buying dynamics
The growing presence of Asian automakers, particularly Chinese brands, is making new vehicles more accessible and affordable, reshaping the balance between new and pre-owned vehicle purchases, driving brand-level transformation, and accelerating growth in entry-level market segments.
- Emerging Payment Behaviors Insights from virtual card usage and tap-to-pay show that young consumers are moving away from physical cards. Digital wallets and tap-to-pay have become their default payment methods.
Same ambitions as previous generations
While there may be slight tensions between Gen Z and older generations in South Africa, the term ama-2000, often used to describe today's youth, reflects more than differences in language, behavior or culture; It signals a sweeping change in values, priorities and ways of living everyday life.
But while the lifestyle and financial behaviors of today's youth may look different, the report shows that their aspirations remain the same as previous generations, as young South Africans still aspire to financial independence, home ownership, career success and long-term security.