Canada NewsWire
Influencer culture and evolving scam threats shaping how parents talk to their kids about money, spending and financial success.
TORONTO
, Oct. 27, 2025 /CNW/ – A new TD survey reveals that growing pressures of a rapidly-evolving digital landscape are driving early money conversations. 61% of Canadian parents polled note they’re concerned about how social media, viral trends and influencer culture shape their children’s attitudes toward money.
“Social media is increasingly becoming a powerful force in our daily lives and – for better or for worse – kids are learning about money from their feeds as much as they are from their families,” said Kristy Irwin, Product Group Owner, Youth and Student at TD. “Financial literacy is evolving with digital culture and parents have an opportunity to help kids learn how to spend wisely and not impulsively.”
Financial Literacy in A Digital-First World
Nearly all Canadian parents (99%) plan to discuss digital money habits with their children, with more than half (58%) saying they will do so by the time their children turn 13. Parents say the ease of digital spending is adding new urgency to financial literacy. Nearly four in ten (39%) worry about how simple it is for kids to make purchases through digital wallets and more than a third (36%) are concerned about the pull of subscription services and in-app purchases.
At the same time, parents are rethinking what financial literacy means in a digital-first world. Nearly all (96%) believe financial literacy is at least as important as online or media literacy, yet only 43% feel confident in their child’s financial knowledge — a clear gap between intention and understanding.
When it comes to what they most want their children to learn, fraud and scam prevention (75%), budgeting (71%), and saving and planning (70%) top the list.
Two-Way Conversations About Money
Facing their worries head-on, parents are responding proactively. Seven in ten parents say their family takes financial literacy more seriously than they did five years ago and 82% say they discuss their own financial successes and challenges with their children, helping to normalize money conversations at home.
Money conversations today are no longer one-way. While the most common teaching methods from parents include chores (46%), allowances (42%), and open talks about investing (41%), more than half (57%) of parents say their children have taught them something new about money, from apps and digital wallets to investing trends.
“Financial skills aren’t just passed down – they are developed together. Parents guide their children while also taking the opportunity to learn how younger generations think about saving and spending in a world that is rapidly changing,” said Irwin. “This two-way conversation can help create a strong, more informed approach to managing finances and making smart money decisions.”
Additional resources for parents and youth
TD offers a number of tools and resources to help Canadian parents build financial literacy skills with their children including:
- Booking an appointment with a TD Personal Banker – a good idea if you’re a parent looking to begin your child’s saving journey or have a teen who’s ready for the next step in their financial journey.
- Online resources and lessons that can help build financial literacy at home for kids as young as three years old up until the age of 18.
- TD MySpend, a money management tool that can help teenagers who have a TD deposit or credit card account create a budget and work towards their saving goals.
- Through the TD Ready Commitment, TD is also proud to support JA Canada’s Dollars with Sense program which supports youth across Canada with financial literacy education.
About the TD Survey
This survey was undertaken by The Harris Poll Canada from September 15 to September 23, 2025, among 1,232 randomly selected Canadian parents of children under 18. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error of ±2.8%, 19 times out of 20.
About TD Bank Group
The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group (“TD” or the “Bank”). TD is the sixth largest bank in North America by assets and serves over 28.1 million customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD Canada Trust and TD Auto Finance Canada; U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, TD Auto Finance U.S., and TD Wealth (U.S.); Wealth Management and Insurance, including TD Wealth (Canada), TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities and TD Cowen. TD also ranks among the world’s leading online financial services firms, with more than 18 million active online and mobile customers. TD had $2.0 trillion in assets on July 31, 2025. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol “TD” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.
SOURCE TD Bank Group
