Generation X (born 1965–1980) currently holds the highest buying power and leads global consumer spending, a trend expected to last until 2033. As of 2025, Gen X accounts for over $ 15 $ 1 5 trillion in spending and roughly 23.5% of global spending power, driven by peak income years,, 3, 8]. While Baby Boomers hold significant accumulated wealth, Gen X leads in active daily spending across CPG, retail, and services.
The Generation Z and millennial age groups often attract the most media attention, but Gen Xers have quietly become the world's top spenders. Gen X's outsized influence on consumer spending can be attributed to the fact that many members are at the centre of business and family life.
Gen X and Boomers lead the way in CPG, general merchandise and quick-service restaurant (QSR) spending: “Gen X households spent the most of any generation in the U.S., accounting for 34.1% of U.S. CPG, general merchandise and QSR spend (rolling 12 months by year ending June 30, 2025).
Generation Alpha is the largest generation, making up 24.4% of the global population. Gen Z and Millennials still hold strong influence, comprising 22.9% and 21.2% of the global population.
By waiting to have children, Gen Z has more time to save and invest extra income. They are often further along in their careers, meaning they may be making more money and in a stronger financial position than their predecessors, who tended to have children at a younger age.
Gen Alpha is in a unique position. While they're not the first digitally native generation (that would be Gen Z), they understand and adapt to new technology faster than any previous generation.
Following the trend, the next generation after Gen Beta is likely to be Generation Gamma, born between 2040 and 2054. As we navigate these changing generations, McCrindle emphasized the importance of understanding their needs, values and preferences to anticipate how they will shape society's future.
There's no single "toughest" generation, as each faces unique struggles, but Generation X (Gen X) (born ~1965-1980) is often cited as highly resilient and stressed, handling major economic crises (like 2008), caring for multiple generations, and being "least parented," while Gen Z (born ~1997-2012) struggles with unprecedented housing costs, mental health, and an 'always-on' digital work culture, making them incredibly hardworking but facing massive financial hurdles.
Baby boomers hold more than $85 trillion in assets, making them the richest generation by far. New research explores the extraordinary rise in their good fortunes — one that experts say successive generations will be hard-pressed to replicate.
In the recent article "Yes, Generation X is the coolest generation and (whisper it) the happiest too" forThe Independent, Bill Borrows confidently exclaims, "Gen-Xers (those born between 1965 and 1980) are now in their fifties and still doing what they were doing after the Berlin Wall came down and have never really ...
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that boomers are by far Britain's wealthiest cohort, having benefitted from surging house prices and gold-plated defined benefit pensions.
In that survey, 74 percent of Gen X respondents said they were experiencing financial trauma, followed by 71 percent of Millennials, 64 percent of Gen Z, and 63 percent of Baby Boomers.
No single group holds exactly 90% of the world's wealth, but extreme concentration exists, with the top 10% of the world's population owning the vast majority, around 75-85% of global wealth, leaving the bottom 90% with a small fraction, while the richest 1% owns a huge chunk of that, sometimes as much as the bottom 90% or more combined, according to reports from the World Inequality Database and Oxfam.
Although millennial and generation-z people are not that far apart in age, the constant difference in test scores, confirms that the more recent, Generation Z, already experiences gains in general intelligence.
Babies born in 2026 are already being called the sigma generation — the group coming after Gen Alpha 👶✨ The name comes from the Greek letter sigma, tied to change and adaptability, which fits the world these kids will grow up in.
The three skull emojis (💀💀💀) amplify the meaning of the single skull emoji, which signifies figurative "death" from extreme reactions like hilarious laughter, intense affection/attraction, or deep embarrassment/frustration, especially popular with Gen Z for slang like "I'm dead" or "I'm dying". It's a playful way to say something is so funny, cute, or cringe-worthy that you're figuratively "dying".
Older members of Gen Z leaned progressive while younger members were more conservative, particularly in the United States. Movements associated with Gen Z so far include fourth-wave feminism, School Strike for Climate, March for Our Lives, Students Against Discrimination and Pro-Palestine movement.
The 70% money rule, often part of the 70/20/10 budget rule, is a simple budgeting guideline that suggests allocating your after-tax income into three main categories: 70% for essential living expenses (needs like rent, groceries, bills), 20% for savings and investments, and 10% for debt repayment or financial goals (wants/future goals). It provides a clear framework for controlling spending, building wealth, and managing debt, though percentages can be adjusted for individual financial situations.
