Gen Z Desires Quick Wealth, Presenting Challenges to Building Healthy Finances

The desire to get rich quickly may be one of the greatest temptations for Generation Z when they begin learning to manage money. Amidst the flood of financial content on social media, investment is frequently presented as a path to financial freedom with results that appear achievable in a short period.

However, building wealth requires a process, consistency, and the ability to determine financial priorities. Syanne Gracetine Polii, Head of Investment Specialist at PT Syailendra Capital, stated that the expectation of becoming wealthy quickly is a specific challenge in strengthening investment literacy among the younger generation.

“We must acknowledge that we are currently in an era where young people are focused on getting rich fast,” said Syanne during the Syailendra Media Talks titled “Gold 360°: One Asset, Four Perspectives” in Jakarta, Monday (31/8/2026).

According to her, today’s younger generation is faced with diverse financial information on social media. Some content offers depictions of investment profits or opportunities to earn large incomes in a short amount of time.

Such exposure can make the process of building wealth gradually and over the long term feel less attractive to young investors. Syanne noted that Gen Z needs to build the habit of considering the consequences of every financial decision, both for current needs and future conditions.

She mentioned that a “pain and gain” approach can be used when determining priorities. The younger generation needs to consider what must be sacrificed when choosing to fulfil current desires compared to allocating money towards long-term financial goals.

“The question of choosing between the present and the future is actually a struggle involving two things that must be approached incrementally, and both require their respective sacrifices,” she added.