69% of Gen Z Are Not Confident They Could Handle a $500 Purchase Today, Rival Technologies' Emerging Consumer Index Finds

Detailed summary

Almost 70% of Gen Z consumers say they are "somewhat," "slightly" or "not at all" confident they could handle a $500 purchase today, yet 48% feel positive or very positive about the next 12 months. The findings come from the first six waves of the Emerging Consumer Index (ECI), Rival Technologies' syndicated research program tracking consumers ages 18 to 30 across the U.S. and Canada.

Thin financial cushions and a hopeful outlook are shaping how Gen Z spends, and the Emerging Consumer Index tracks the shift with fresh data every two weeks

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost 70% of Gen Z consumers say they are "somewhat," "slightly" or "not at all" confident they could handle a $500 purchase today, yet 48% feel positive or very positive about the next 12 months. The findings come from the first six waves of the Emerging Consumer Index (ECI), Rival Technologies' syndicated research program tracking consumers ages 18 to 30 across the U.S. and Canada.

For brands focused on a generation expected to have $12 trillion in spending power by 2030, the findings point to an important tension: financial pressure is shaping how Gen Z spends, but it has not erased their optimism.

The financial squeeze has remained steady across the first six waves of ECI. Forty-two percent say they are getting by but it's tight, or struggling to cover the basics, while only 25% feel comfortable. That split barely moved across the six waves.

Findings from wave six (fielded in September 2026) found the following:

"Gen Z's finances and outlook are moving targets, and a once-a-year survey captures only a single frame of the picture," said Paula Catoira, Chief Marketing Officer at Rival Group. "The Emerging Consumer Index gives brands fresh data every two weeks, so they can track shifts as they happen. Paired with conversational quant, qual and video feedback, it helps teams understand not just what is changing, but why."

The findings are based on the first six waves of the ECI, conducted from June to September 2026 using AI-accelerated, mobile-first, conversational research. Each wave engaged more than 600 18-to-30-year-olds in the U.S. and Canada.

About Rival TechnologiesRival Technologies is a research technology company redefining how brands understand people.

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