For a long time, the prophecy that the use of money would become somewhat ancient seemed another more destined for good intentions. But as an ironic turn of destiny, the trade that advanced several lockers with the use of symbolic currencies now dispenses with physical moneybut through legislation that establishes it but of a framework of technological disruption that turned the paper money into a museum element.
From the base. The other unique aspect of this change is that it is a movement from the bottom up, of the youngest to the alleged decisors in the economic circuit.
The consultant Gustavo Calveirowith more than three decades analyzing the bank market, he points out that, historically, the largest cash volumes were provided by type: retail chains (especially supermarkets and service stations) and those that concentrated high value operations on collecting accounts and collections. The former are more product of the payment habits of people, while the second prioritize financial and tax costs. “It is interesting what is already happening in the change of habits of the people for the contribution that bank and non -banking entities make togetheras arises from COELSA INDICATOR of the first four -month period 2025 ”, underlines. Some data prepared by the entity, the technology company responsible for creating the necessary tools to ensure each transaction and give freedom through the payment ecosystem, mark a tendency towards accelerated digitalization. In just one year, digital, bank and non -bank accounts grew by 48.8 % (in April 2024 there were 189 million and last April, 282 million accounts), with almost 50 % participation of the “millennials.” On the other hand, the immediate transfers plus the QR payments grew 30% per year. And only QR payments, the battle knight of the phone-billetera, grew 43 %, with a contribution of millennials and centenials of 70 % of the total operated, but more than 70 % of said payments applied in supermarket, small businesses and gastronomy. “In conclusion: today the acceleration in the change of habits of people is observed, or by the affinity of the age group (millennials and centenials), the major groups of” digital habits “, as for those who chose to” bank “in remunerated, banking and non -bank accounts and pay digital to keep the balances longer”, Concludes Calveiro.
Youth money For its part, for the Sergio CandeloDirector and Co-Founder of Snoop Consultingthis transformation is not casual or isolated. “Argentina became one of the pioneering countries in the adoption of digital wallets and it is precisely the youngest who lead this silent revolution that is forever redefining the relationship with money,” he says. The teenagers do not remember the last time they touched a ticket, divide the accounts of the fast food stores with their friends from their cell phone and even pay the Delivery scanning a QR code. For them, physical money is a relic of the past, an anecdote of their parents.
The data are overwhelming and reflect a paradigm shift. According to a recent report by Torcuato Di Tella, the use of digital wallets in adolescents 51% shot at 2022 to 89% in 2024. This jump not only shows massive adoption, but drastically reduced financial exclusion in that segment. “The virtual wallet became the entrance door to the financial system, exceeding traditional products: while the vast majority already operate with these apps, only 17% of young people have a bank account,” he adds.
New customs. Beyond payments, technology was forging new habits and economic rituals.
- The financial “remote control”: The wallet is not just to pay; It is the command center of your finances. From there they manage expenses, save and have their first experience with investments through paid accounts.
- Accelerated financial inclusion: For most, the digital wallet is its first formal financial product.
- The end of complicated accounts: dividing expenses between friends used to be a mathematical drama.
- The QR code as universal language: Teenagers scan them with the same naturalness with which they open Instagram, turning each payment into a fluid and friction interaction.
Side B. Not everything is advantages in this world without effective. The speed and ease of use bring new challenges and risks that cannot be ignored. “The boys spend easier when they don’t see tickets out of their hands”they warn of psychologists and analysts of human behavior. Digital money becomes more abstract, less tangible, which can lead to impulsive spending. Other risks are:
- Vulnerability to scams: They are frequent objectives of Phishing and SMISHING. They are usually more confident and less prone to identify emails or fraudulent messages that seek to steal their credentials.
- Educational Gap: Only 28% of adolescents have solid knowledge about the management of debts or complex financial products.
- Technological dependence: Without cell phone, without battery or without internet connection, young people are temporarily excluded from the system.
- Loss of privacy: Each transaction generates a permanent digital record, a footprint that, if not managed carefully, can expose sensitive data.
“The question is no longer whether teenagers will adopt these tools, but what new forms of economic exchange will invent when they are adults” anticipate candle. “The future of money is written on screens, not on paper, and young people are already the authors of the next chapters,” he concludes.
By Marcelo Alfano
