Today, crypto for Gen Z - it’s like a toothbrush. Just a must-have. More than half (51%) of Gen Z respondents say they currently own crypto or have owned it before. That’s the highest percentage across all generations.
And since I’m part of Gen Z, I fully understand why our generation moves in this direction. But in everyday life, you still run into the other generation - millennials - who are far from blockchain. I recently saw a TikTok showing millennials heading to their laptops just to buy plane tickets. Well, apparently it’s “far too serious” to do it on a phone. Watching that, I realized that our generation is always looking for ways to make life easier, while others stubbornly stick to old habits, refusing to optimize even simple things in modern life.
Gen Z is already swapping assets on crypto exchanges, sending instant transfers across continents, and flexing with NFT drops like it’s their morning routine. They believe the real power isn’t in paperwork, but in the code. Watching this, you start wondering if your bank’s IT system is still powered by carrier pigeons.
How Gen Z Turns Crypto Into a Daily Habit?
While Gen Z pays the bill with a QR-code, millennials are still waiting for someone to bring them a paper menu.
MetaMask? Trust Wallet? Phantom? The young generation doesn’t have WhatsApp on their phones anymore - they’ve got a digital wallet. They’re buying merch from TikTok brands with stablecoins, selling travel photos on NFT marketplaces and paying with Bitcoin via virtual cards. Crypto exchanges for them are like “my bank” and “my other bank.” And if their transfers or payments aren’t instant - bye-bye. They’d rather use global crypto payment gateways like Binance Card, WhiteBIT Nova Card, or Crypto.com Card, because those are faster and better.
And to all those still underestimating crypto - meet Vitalik Buterin. The guy who created Ethereum and took crypto to another level. Just days ago, he became a billionaire again and now ranks among the top crypto billionaires, like Volodymyr Nosov, whose wealth is around $6–7 billion, Fred Ehrsam ($2.93 billion), and the Winklevoss Twins (each with $2.7 billion). So after that, you still think this generation is just TikTok and degradation? Think twice.
Bank Fees vs. Crypto Fees: How Gen Z Saves Money?
Transfers between crypto wallets usually have fees, but they’re way lower than bank payments:
For comparison, I took five different banks, such as Raiffeisen Bank, UniCredit, Barclays, UBS, and Misyon Bank. Depending on the type of transaction, their transfer fees range from 1% to 10%.
Regarding crypto transfers, I looked at Binance, WhiteBIT, Bidget, and Bybit, and on average the fees vary between 0.1% and 5% (for simple transactions often less than $1).
So, it's obvious that crypto is far from advantageous. And it’s not just about lower fees - crypto generally comes with extra perks, like fee discounts, referral programs, and VIP benefits. Basically, crypto is all about making life easier for people, and that’s its biggest win.
Top 5 Crypto Products Gen Z Likes the Most - My Personal Take
MetaMask
A crypto wallet - the very first tool in any young crypto user’s arsenal. Without MetaMask, you’re just a tourist in blockchain. Gen Z uses it because it gives access to all of DeFi, NFTs, and - most importantly - full control over their own financial decisions. With over 21 million active monthly users, this tool has become an inseparable part of the Web3 experience for the younger generation.
PancakeSwap (CAKE)
This is a decentralized exchange on BNB Smart Chain where you simply connect your wallet and start trading tokens instantly. In 2024, the platform even surpassed $310 billion in trading volume - a true DeFi revolution. That’s exactly why Gen Z loves it: it gives you complete control over your money without the boring formalities and the bank’s “And where did you get these funds?” interrogation.
WhiteBIT Nova Card
WhiteBIT Nova is a Visa card that converts crypto to fiat instantly, with up to 10% cashback and full Apple/Google Pay support. This is exactly what creates such a buzz among Gen Z. Perks like cashback and zero fees attract users and simplify their payment process. I can say this for sure, having tried the card myself. With over a million user transactions completed already, it’s clear this card is rapidly gaining popularity, creating competition across the entire global banking system.
OpenSea
OpenSea is like a giant Amazon marketplace - but for digital art, music, and all sorts of unique NFTs. Thanks to it, young people are literally turning digital pics into cash. In 2025, the platform launched OS2 - a refreshed interface, support for 19 blockchains, improved search, and a gamified reward system called Voyages, which led to a 44% increase in user activity and two million NFT sales. Gen Z hangs out here because it’s the perfect mix of simplicity and the chance to dive into the world of art, gaming, or music.
Bybit Earn
What does a smart Gen Z do with their crypto? They don’t just leave it in a wallet like your grandpa’s piggy bank. Bybit Earn is a platform for passive income - you invest, and the money grows on its own. 30% of young people aged 18–25 are already subscribed to similar services (I’m not part of this generation, but I’m in the game too). Waiting for the market to pump is just too boring - here, you’re making money while scrolling memes.
Takeaway
Turns out Gen Z is way smarter than everyone gives them credit for, right? They choose freedom, speed, and total control over their money, while the rest are still figuring out how to open a banking app. Instant payments, global transactions, QR codes - this isn’t sci-fi, it’s their everyday reality. And from my observations, I don’t envy millennials at all. Either they adapt, or they’ll be forced to. Gen Z moves too fast, so blockchain will soon be a part of everyone’s life.
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