The festive season of joy is approaching.VisaVisa reveals that gift selection behavior this year has shifted with technology trends, driven mainly by AI and cryptocurrency innovations reshaping spending habits, with Gen Z aged 18-28 clearly leading other generations in adopting new technologies.
Visa's report, based on a survey of 1,000 Americans last October, states that year-end holiday spending behaviors have changed significantly, with AI directly influencing shopping. Consumer spending varies by age, and clear new payment trends are emerging.
Part of Visa's report indicates that this year, 28% of consumers feel “excited” to receive cryptocurrency as a gift, with 45% of Gen Z especially willing to accept crypto gifts.
However, the key question ishow "smart" is it to give cryptocurrency as a gift?Financial experts have expressed varying opinions on this matter.
One perspective views it as "inappropriate" to give crypto as an investment gift because cryptocurrency is highly volatile and speculative, making it a risky asset and unsuitable if the giver's goal is to provide a gift expected to appreciate in value.
Flavio Landivar, a financial planner, explains that crypto differs from stocks or ETFs backed by tangible assets such as businesses. In contrast, crypto lacks intrinsic value, causing prices to fluctuate violently and potentially crash rapidly.
Conversely, another view holds that giving crypto as a gift is "appropriate" if seen as a way to learn financial lessons rather than a stable investment. Ashton Lawrence, another financial planner, recommends positioning crypto gifts as long-term learning experiences rather than stable investments, suggesting that if one seeks assets with long-term growth potential, diversified stock ETFs are more suitable.
Meanwhile, Mike Casey, a financial planner, suggests that giving crypto starting with a small amount, around 50 U.S. dollars, for birthdays or holidays can be a good introduction to learning and fostering financial knowledge. Regarding volatility, this approach teaches investment discipline effectively.
Tracking the value of this first gift from year to year helps young people and new investors become familiar with the natural volatility of investment markets. "This is the essence of investing: having long-term goals and understanding that small fluctuations are normal," Mike Casey said.
Furthermore, Visa's report notes that technologies like AI and digital currencies are increasingly integrated into daily life, changing how Americans shop and give gifts.
It found that 47% of U.S. shoppers have used AI tools at least once during shopping, with "gift idea generation" being the most popular AI use. Price comparison features also strongly attract consumers.
Regarding spending, the report highlights that Gen Z clearly leads other generations in adopting new technologies and payment methods, with a 44% likelihood of using crypto for payments. About 1 in 10 respondents believe Stablecoins will replace main financial systems by 2030, while 28% expect significant Stablecoin usage growth by 2035.
Moreover, 1 in 5 consumers prefer Digital Wallets, but among Gen Z, the gap is minimal: 36% prefer Digital Wallets, and 34% still choose traditional plastic cards.
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