By Chuck Bentley, CP Guest Contributor Friday, January 23, 2026
Dear Chuck,
My daughter asked me for my thoughts on FinTok for helping college kids handle money. Can you give me your perspective on this?
Not a FinTok Mom
| ANTONIN UTZ/AFP via Getty Images
Dear Not a FinTok Mom,
For those who do not know what we are talking about, there is a community on TikTok where influencers and users share financial advice and education through short videos. The hashtags #FinTok and #PersonalFinance have billions of views, indicating a strong interest in financial topics within the TikTok community. FinTok is especially popular with Gen Z and Millennials, who prefer this platform over traditional financial advisors.
Entertainment/financial advice
The content is designed to be both educational and entertaining. Topics like budgeting, saving, investing, and retirement planning are addressed, and interaction is encouraged through comments, questions, and shared experiences.
On the one hand, it’s good to know that young people are taking an interest in financial literacy. However, just because something is “viral,” the actual money advice isn’t always reliable, especially when compared to biblical wisdom that has proven to be helpful and accurate for centuries. Content can be misleading or based on personal experience, not expertise. Some scam content posted by influencers promotes expensive courses or products without any real value.
Third-party evaluations
We found an interesting source called Daytrading.com that created the Finance TikTok Report Card to analyze viral claims and grade them for “accuracy, disclosures, oversimplification, and educational value.” They reviewed finance and investing videos during September 2025. Combined, the videos they reviewed received nearly 256,000 views. Here is a summary of the article:
The findings
- 70% of the finance videos didn’t clear a B grade.
- Risk disclosure was weakest: 30% scored an F, only 10% an A.
- Oversimplification was common: 60% of videos were rated D or F.
- Accuracy: 20% A, 40% C, 30% D.
The discoveries
- Risk-free narratives dominate the feeds.
- Oversimplification drives engagement; accuracy and context don’t.
- Crypto content remains highly popular.
- Thoughtful educators are rare.
The implications
- Viewers may mistake entertainment for real guidance.
- Loud, flashy content often outweighs accuracy.
- Regulators face enforcement challenges.
- There’s an opportunity for financial firms to provide credible content.
It is catching on
Chime.com surveyed 2,000 Americans (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers) to see how TikTok is shaping financial habits. Here is a summary of the impact in 2025:
User habits
- Average users scroll through over 400 hours of financial content annually.
- Younger viewers report that the videos make money topics easier to understand.
- Some older viewers (Boomers) find the content inaccurate but still watch.
- Gen Z is more likely than Boomers to find the tips effective.
- 53% of users plan to increase their TikTok finance use in 2026.
Goals and focus
- The main objectives are improving savings habits and building financial confidence.
- Gen Z is especially focused on paying down debt quickly and learning new investment strategies.
Popular money-saving trends
- 59% of users tried at least one trend; top trends include:
- Low Budget Living — 30%
- Side Hustle Sprint — 20%
- Girl Math — 17%
- No Spend September — 15%
- Budget Bucket Challenge — 12%
- Debt Pay-Off Winter — 12%
Risks of scams
Pioneer reports: “As more people have gotten wind of the FinTok trend, there has been an increase in scam content. This usually comes in the form of people showing off their money, cars, and houses with promises of helping users become more ‘financially free.’ Sadly, many of these accounts are fake — as are the lifestyles they promote. The creators use their content to gain trust and leverage an audience and then package up their ‘advice’ into expensive courses and products.”
Helpful biblical perspective
To help you support your daughter, I would say there is a benefit in that some are taking positive action to improve their finances. However, like any advice, it should be filtered through a biblical lens to determine if it is truly helpful or just a lie wrapped up in clever marketing. In my own life, I had to learn the dangers of becoming a success in man’s economy but a failure in God’s economy. The following verses will help you discuss what is truly important for her to understand that is not likely to get posted on FinTok:
God is the owner. We are temporary stewards
“The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1a ESV).
He provides, but we are to place our faith totally in Him
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘I will never leave you, never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
Avoid greed and boasting
“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:9–10a NIV).
Be faithful, not greedy
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NIV).
Be generous
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops” (Proverbs 3:9 NIV).
Keep an eternal perspective
“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” (John 6:27 ESV).
Whether you’ve been part of Crown for years or are just discovering us, we’d love for you to be part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration. For five decades, Crown has taught biblical stewardship principles that transform finances, strengthen families, and deepen faith. Lives have been changed. Communities have been empowered. Purpose has been rediscovered. And we’re just getting started!
Chuck Bentley is CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, a global Christian ministry, founded by the late Larry Burkett. He is the host of a daily radio broadcast, My MoneyLife, featured on more than 1,000 Christian Music and Talk stations in the U.S., and author of his most recent book, Economic Evidence for God?. Be sure to follow Crown on Facebook.
