Finfluencers: The Rising Trend in Personal Finance Education and Its Impact in 2025

Understanding Finfluencers: The New Face of Financial Education in 2025

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge in personal finance in 2025, finfluencers, also known as financial influencers, are becoming an increasingly popular option among the young demographic. Unlike traditional financial advisors and economics courses, these influencers offer a unique, engaging, and unregulated approach to financial education through social media platforms.

The Growing Influence of Finfluencers

Reports from the CFA Institute and FINRA show that in 2023, 48% of Gen Z investors and 47% of non-investors used social media as a source of financial information. This method has been largely popular among this age group, owing to the wide-reaching influence of finfluencers who boast millions of followers on their accounts.

However, as much as finfluencers are gaining popularity, they have also drawn criticism from financial experts and regulators. The concerns stem from the lack of regulation in the content shared by finfluencers compared to formal investment advisors. And since their sphere is personal money management, the stakes are higher.

Financial Education Through Social Media: The Rise of Finfluencers

The advent of social media has paved the way for a more diverse range of perspectives to be shared, including those on personal finance. Finfluencers are individuals who create content for social platforms that share information and advice around personal finance. The content can range from explainers on retirement accounts, basic guides to investing, to credit card comparisons, and is usually free for the audience, with finfluencers making their money through advertising, brand partnerships, and platform creator funds.

Video content has proven particularly effective for financial advice. Between April 2023 and April 2024, finfluencers saw double the median follower growth on YouTube and Instagram than influencers from any other category. The recent popularity of cryptocurrency, for example, may encourage some finfluencers to create related content that will resonate with their audience and attract more views.

Impact of Finfluencers on Financial Markets and Retail Investors

Finfluencers often recommend specific actions or products in their content, just like influencers in other markets. The World Economic Forum reports that 86% of Gen Z have learned about personal investing by the time they enter the workforce, leading to a new group of retail investors. The scale of the reach of finfluencers, who can speak to millions of followers with every post, has significantly disrupted the traditional investment industry.

Regulatory Issues with Finfluencers

Despite the benefits that finfluencers bring to personal finance education, there are compliance issues that have caused concerns among experts. Unlike traditional investment advisors who are required to follow specific regulations, finfluencers, who can be any individual sharing financial opinions on social platforms, are not bound by specific regulations. They may be promoting products that they benefit from selling, rather than for their performance, potentially leaving viewers vulnerable to manipulation and potential financial loss.

Assessing the Benefits and Risks of Following Finfluencers

While finfluencers provide a useful service for people looking to learn more about personal finance, followers should also be aware of the possible risks. It’s crucial to remember that recommendations are merely suggestions and not a guarantee of performance.

5 Finfluencers to Watch in 2025

The finfluencer market is continuously evolving with several influencers worth watching in 2025 and beyond including Erika Kullberg, Vivian Tu, Humphrey Yang, Tori Dunlap, and Tyler Gardner. These finfluencers report millions of followers and offer unique personal finance experiences that have resonated greatly with their audience.

Article by Madeleine Streets, senior content manager for WhatIs. Other publications include ‘TIME,’ ‘WWD,’ ‘Self’ and Observer.