Alongside neighborhood lemonade stands and lifeguarding gigs, millions of teenagers will be earning their pocket money online this summer. And Gen Alpha is shaping up to be one of the most entrepreneurial generations in the digital era as the internet redraws the boundaries of work.
Around 22 million teenagers, aged 13 to 17, earn money through part-time, informal, or digital work, according to a recent whitepaper from Cash App, owned by fintech company Block.
And the ways many are earning digitally are a bit more unconventional than selling stickers on Etsy or tutoring over Zoom. Around 10% of teens earn through livestreaming their video games, 16% by online reselling, and 10% via in-game platforms like Roblox.
The study notes that the youngest generation of workers are capitalizing on their hobbies, and setting themselves up to be “modern earners” by managing multiple streams of income.
“For many [teenagers], their first income experience is non-traditional, entering the economy years before formal employment through activities that previous generations considered purely recreational,” the white paper notes.
