How FinServ Brands Can Win with Gen Z Using Audio

While Gen Z is still coming into their full economic power, they are far from financially apathetic. This is a forward-looking cohort that prioritizes security and growth. In fact, 78% of SiriusXM Media Gen Z listeners say investing for the future is very important 1, and almost nine in 10 say financial stability is important. 2

This audience is worth your immediate attention. One in three will open a new banking account in the next six months. Now is the time to get on their radar, build a rapport, and establish your brand as their trusted, long-term financial partner. However, while Gen Z is ready to grow, their loyalty does not come easily.

Gen Z doesn’t choose banks casually—they research, compare, and consult peers

Crafting messages that resonate with Gen Z starts with understanding how they approach the market. When it comes to making decisions, they don’t tread lightly—they are highly research-obsessed. After all, this is a generation that grew up with a world of opportunities, information, and resources at their fingertips. So when the time comes to choose something as important as who they’re going to trust with their money, their search is going to be thorough.

The data proves their commitment to deep dives: 78% like to know as much as possible about a financial service before committing. 1 But this information doesn’t just come from community-based platforms like Reddit or from chats with the AI assistant of their choice. This generation is deeply peer-influenced, with 66% valuing a friend or relative’s recommendation when choosing a bank. 1 They are also exceptionally mobile, with 87% already managing their lives through digital wallets. 3

To truly connect with Gen Z, FinServ brands need to do more than just pop up randomly in their feed—doing so is a surefire way to ensure your ad will only be forgotten seconds later. Instead, focus on building a presence across trusted channels where real conversations happen.

The trust deficit—and the opportunity

If presence in trusted channels is the goal, then transparency is the price of entry. Gen Z research habits extend beyond interest rates; they also apply to shared values. This is where many financial brands face the hard reality of trust issues: only 27% of Gen Z trust credit card companies to act in their best interest. 3 This skepticism is tied to a requirement for accountability, with 56% of this audience demanding transparency in brands’ business practices and values. 4

Our answer? Look into audio

Digital audio offers an opportunity to share your message in an environment built on authenticity. While curated social feeds are often viewed with a side-eye, streaming audio is considered 2.9x more trustworthy than social media. 5 Podcasts, in particular, come with a unique host-listener bond. One in four listeners feels more trust toward brands that sponsor their favorite shows. 6 As Gen Z becomes more disillusioned with traditional media, audio is an environment that stays real.

SiriusXM Media powers Gen Z reach at scale

Beyond authenticity, digital audio has another superpower: substantial reach. To find Gen Z, brands should look to modern audio platforms, which have become a trusted companion throughout their day:

• 94% of Gen Z listen to streaming audio 7

• 63% of Gen Z listen to podcasts 2

As the largest ad-supported streaming audience in North America, we provide a dynamic environment for building long-term connections. We reach 60% of 13–24-year-olds every month, 8 including 20.5M listeners aged 18-24. 9 For a direct line to this group, SoundCloud is the ultimate hub, with 52% of its total user base representing Gen Z. 10

Gen Z rewards authenticity, even in unfiltered spaces

Fed up with unrealistic images, this generation has moved past sanitized, corporate-safe environments. For Gen Z, authenticity means acknowledging the culture and life as it is:

• 74% don't minde advertising in podcasts with profanity or explicit language 11

• 64% say it doesn't bother them if a brand advertises on a show featuring conversations about sex and relationships 11

• 44% don't mind ads around explicit music 7

With SiriusXM Media, you can embrace this authenticity without sacrificing brand control. Through guardrails developed in partnership with Comscore and Barometer, you can choose the environment that fits your brand, while remaining present in the candid, culturally relevant spaces Gen Z loves.

From discovery to lifelong financial partnership

As the leading audio empire, we know just how well this medium can drive results across the entire marketing funnel. Within our ecosystem, audio helps you pave the way from introduction through consideration all the way to long-term loyalty.

Discovery is cultural: 43% of listeners discover new brands through their favorite tracks and shows. 4 This first "hello" happens in the moments of joy and focus, creating a positive halo effect for your FinServ brand.

Alignment is personal: 37% of Gen Z prefer brands that share the same values as the podcast shows or hosts they like. 4 Aligning with the right voices allows financial brands to tap into hard-earned credibility and show they are a partner with a shared philosophy, not just a service provider.

Attention is within reach: 30% find financial ads genuinely interesting. When delivered in the right context, your message has the rare luxury of landing and sticking, proving that FinServ marketing can be as engaging as the content it finds itself in. 1

Tap into trust through the SiriusXM Podcast Network

Thanks to the power of world-class creators on our network, it’s easy to connect with your listeners. Gen Z is 27% more likely to view podcasts as authentic and trustworthy, 5 with these shows coming up especially high on their vibe check radar:

• Rotten Mango: 222 trust index 12

• Call Her Daddy: 217 trust index 12

• Mr. Ballen: 159 trust index 12

• Morbid: 151 trust index 12

• The Mel Robbins Podcast: 122 trust index 12

Curate the Gen Z financial experience

To truly break through with Gen Z, brands need to interweave traditional ads with culture-focused experiences. We offer high-impact activation opportunities, from trusted sponsorships to innovative, community-driven events:

• Podcast Custom Offerings: Team up with beloved podcasters with host reads, then keep the momentum going with social and live extensions.

• SiriusXM Studio Sessions: Host exclusive live events that bring fans closer to their favorite creators.

• Music Row Happy Hour: Build connections with country music superfans through live performances and one-of-a-kind interviews.

• SoundCloud REMIX: Capitalize on Gen Z’s love for authenticity and creativity with an AI-powered remix competition.

• SoundCloud Meme Packs: Speak the language of the Internet with music memes that can help your brand enter the conversation and surprise listeners with the unexpected.

• SoundCloud Promoted Tracks: Act as a discovery partner and taste curator by introducing listeners to emerging and established artists.

Win their first account, keep them for life with SiriusXM Media

Gen Z is ready to build their financial future, and they’re bringing their high standards with them. While they approach institutions with caution, they give their loyalty to authentic creator voices and their favorite playlists.

Financial brands that align with Gen Z’s values and their lifestyle can move beyond being just another bank. By showing up in the audio environment where they feel at home, you can start on the right foot and turn their first account into a long-term financial partnership. 

Ready to connect with the next generation of wealth-builders? Let’s talk.

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