This Is the World's New Currency: How Generation Z Is Redefining Luxury

We once dreamed of fast cars, houses with pools, and the Sims motherlode code. Today, Gen Z is choosing something different: peace of mind. Does this mean that luxury is gone and wealth is passé?

Do you remember the days when you would enter the code motherlode in The Sims to get an infinite amount of simoleons ? A luxurious house like in Beverly Hills, the latest stereo, a pool with a fountain, a premium grill and gold armchairs - that was the definition of fulfillment. Today, let's imagine that a representative of Generation Z sits down to play the same game. Instead of motherlode - they choose a basic lifestyle. Maybe they will buy an easel and a yoga set. Not to get rich, but to paint for themselves, for the moment - for peace of mind.

Generation Z is writing a new narrative. Their priority is not wealth – it is well-being . And that is becoming the new currency of the 21st century .

Gaining Experiences Surrounded by Nature – Generation Z Values ​​Peace Over Wealth / Unsplash, Kalen Emsley

For previous generations, luxury was measurable – the square footage of real estate, the make of the car, the sapphire watch. Millennials, although torn between loans and the desire for “everything”, have also chased the shiny attributes of success for years. Gen Z sees it differently. As shown by Intuit ’s March 2025 report , as many as 64% of Gen Z representatives declare that peace of mind is more important to them than accumulating wealth. What’s more, 58% of them openly admit that they will choose a life of balance , even at the cost of lower earnings.

Young woman meditating, USA / Unsplash, Matteo Di Iorio

Behind this change lies not only a philosophy of life, but also a profound pragmatism. Gen Z grew up in the shadow of crises – financial, climate, social. They watched their parents and older siblings burn out at work, struggle with loans, and not start families.

This is a breakthrough moment – ​​when as a society we begin to understand that wealth does not always mean money .

Does this mean that Gen Z rejects financial stability altogether and lives in a YOLO style? No. According to the data, as many as 75% of Gen Z representatives say that economic uncertainty makes it difficult for them to plan for the future . For this reason , 60% of them demand access to reliable financial knowledge , and 71% expect support from employers in achieving retirement goals . The difference is that Gen Z does not expect a million in the account. Gen Z does not want to live in luxury at the expense of themselves - they want to live wisely .

The new microtrends are a symbol of change: " loud budgeting ", or openly saying "no" to unnecessary spending , or the growing popularity of the " no-buy 2025 " movement. Gen Z limits consumption not out of necessity, but by choice - because they know that true luxury is the ability to say: "I have everything I need".