VisualGPS Creative Trends Technology Financial Literacy for a New Money Era

Financial literacy has always mattered—understanding money is the first step to managing it well. Yet the number of Americans who understand basic financial principles has hovered at around 50% for eight years straight,¹ meaning only half of US adults are considered financially literate! Today, as money becomes increasingly digital, automated, and abstract, understanding how financial systems work is not just a personal advantage, it's a survival skill. It's also an opportunity for financial services brands to strengthen trust through updated visual choices.

According to Getty Images' VisualGPS research, 65% believe we will become a cashless society in the future. But the future is happening right now! We’re living through a fundamental shift in how money moves, especially as our current US administration strives to become a world leader in digital financial technology.² Payments are instant. Investing is app‑based. Credit decisions are made by algorithms. New financial assets, like cryptocurrencies, exist largely as code rather than cash. However, when we look at popular finance visuals related to financial literacy, 70% of visuals include some form of physical currency, like coins, with outdated (albeit nostalgic) cues like piggybanks and calculators. 

As banks, fintechs, and consumers alike continue to embrace financial digitization, it is important to keep in mind that nearly half of consumers are nervous about how heavily the world will rely on technology, and a majority believe economic opportunities will decrease in the face of automation and AI. So, how can financial services brands help ease this sentiment while remaining in our technological present? 

Younger generations are entering financial systems shaped by AI, mid‑career adults are trying to manage amidst rapid changes in work, and older adults are relearning across digital‑only systems. However, about a third of financial literacy visuals focus on families featuring middle‑aged adults alone or with young children. Other age groups like seniors or teenagers are 5‑10 times less likely to be seen respectively. But financial literacy is no longer age‑specific, and everyone is learning from different sources.

The most common source of financial information today is friends and family, followed by financial advisors and planners.³ Leveraging a professional such as a financial advisor becomes more likely with age and increased income, while younger folks (18‑29) are more likely to turn to social media for financial advice. While VisualGPS research finds that endorsements by an influencer/celebrity are least likely to strengthen trust, content creators, such as Lauren Simmons and Vivian Tu, or the slew of up‑and‑coming finance‑specific creators across social platforms, are trusted two times more by younger generations as they offer value that influencers/celebrities are no longer associated with.  

As financial systems grow more abstract, conceptual visuals not including people also play a critical role in translating complexity into clarity.⁴ VisualGPS image testing finds that audiences prefer simple visuals for finance overall, rooted in realism, and are more open to abstract conceptual imagery for tech and innovation, giving financial services brands ample space to reassess their visual language accordingly. 

In a world where financial decisions happen faster than ever before, visuals are no longer decorative reflections, but authentic, inspirational, and interpretive tools that help us endure. Financial literacy may literally begin with education, but it’s reinforced through the visuals that shape how money is seen, understood, and trusted.

Sources
[1] Fidelity
[2] The White House
[3] Investopedia
[4] SimpleShow