Survey: 76% of Gen Z Not Fully Repaid After Fronting Group Expenses, Though Digital Tools Helped Most Recover Funds

com reported that 76 percent of Gen Z consumers who fronted money for group expenses such as trips or events were not fully repaid. The same survey found 55 percent said the unpaid amounts created tension or negatively affected a relationship, while 47 percent reported entering a financial deficit as a result.

Coachella 2026 weekend passes cost $1,437 and FIFA World Cup finals 2026 tickets started at $7,857, the report noted as examples of high-cost events that younger adults often cover for others.

Forty-eight percent of Gen Z consumers viewed delaying repayment as avoidance, and 33 percent agreed that discussing owed funds between friends causes stress and anxiety. Nineteen percent of Millennials and 14 percent of Gen Z said they had ended a friendship or relationship over repayment disputes.

Digital repayment tools aided 80 percent of Gen Z in securing reimbursement, and 50 percent said the tools limited the awkwardness of repayment conversations.

“Delaying repayment can create a bigger problem than the debt itself,” Traci Williams, a board-certified clinical psychologist and certified financial therapist, stated in the report. ” “Taking responsibility, acknowledging the delay and using simple tools to pay people back can help reduce stress and protect relationships,” Williams added.

Denise Leonhard, Zelle’s general manager, said the service helps users settle group trips, birthday dinners or event tickets quickly through banking apps.

Zelle is a digital repayment tool that allows transfers between bank accounts.