Vertice AI Releases Gen Z Banking Insights Report Exploring Shifting Financial Behaviors

~ New report reinforces how Gen Z is quietly reshaping the future of financial relationships, trust, and digital banking behavior ~

Vertice AI, a leading provider of AI-powered growth solutions for community financial institutions, today released a new industry report, “From Branches to Apps: Gen Z on Money and Banking.” This report provides community financial institutions (CFIs) with a firsthand look into how Gen Z consumers are navigating financial decisions, digital tools, and relationships with institutions that challenge many long-standing assumptions across the banking industry.

The report draws from a live panel discussion held during the 2026 Southeast Credit Union Innovation Day at the Advanced Technology Development Center at Georgia Institute of Technology. The session featured a panel of Gen Z students spanning high school, undergraduate, and graduate studies, discussing topics ranging from financial apps and peer-to-peer payments to expectations for modern banking experiences, and the factors that most influence their financial decision-making.

Rather than relying on broad generational narratives, From Branches to Apps captures direct commentary from next-generation consumers about how they manage money today. Among the report’s emerging themes:

• The growing use of multiple financial app “stacks” rather than a single primary institution;

• Declining reliance on physical branches and ATMs in daily financial life; and 

• Rising demand for more proactive, personalized financial guidance tools instead of reactive reporting.

“Too much of the industry conversation about Gen Z happens without hearing directly from Gen Z,” said Mitch Rutledge, CEO of Vertice AI. “This discussion offered something more valuable than trend speculation: an unfiltered view into how young consumers are approaching money, financial decisions, and digital financial tools. Community FIs need a clearer understanding of Gen Z’s priorities and expectations if they want to meaningfully compete with fintechs and neobanks.”

Vertice AI helps financial institutions use predictive AI and behavioral data to identify growth opportunities and execute targeted campaigns that significantly improve engagement and product adoption. The company has helped financial institutions increase adoption rates for targeted products and services through data-driven customer engagement strategies.

The full analysis includes direct participant commentary, visualized findings, and insights designed to help community FIs and fintech leaders better understand the evolving financial mindset of Gen Z consumers. The free report is now available for download: “From Branches to Apps: Gen Z on Money and Banking”

About Vertice AI

Vertice AI is a leading provider of AI-powered member growth solutions leveraging predictive analytics to help credit unions employ data to drive smarter business decisions. By harnessing artificial intelligence and member data, Vertice AI delivers actionable, member-centric insights that enable credit unions to optimize marketing investments, foster deeper relationships, and achieve measurable growth. Vertice AI has been recognized as a Finovate Fall Best in Show 2025, ICBA ThinkTech Bankers Choice Award Winner,  Top 25 Startup to Watch by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, honored as a Finalist at VentureTech 2023, and named the 2023 Innovation Challenge Winner by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).