2025
9
Global Citizens and Banking in the US Consumer Report 2025
2025-03-10T12:02:41+00:00
REP17CB5EBC_C259_4517_8FAF_95518E7D9975
3695
180202
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The rising population of global citizens (ie foreign-born) in the US, which accounts for over 14% of the country's total population, represents a significant opportunity for FIs to engage with…
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  8. Global Citizens and Banking in the US Consumer Report 2025

Global Citizens and Banking in the US Consumer Report 2025

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The rising population of global citizens (ie foreign-born) in the US, which accounts for over 14% of the country’s total population, represents a significant opportunity for FIs to engage with a diverse and growing customer base. This group brings unique financial needs shaped by cultural and linguistic needs, requiring banks to adopt inclusive and tailored approaches.

Foreign-born adults value accessibility, trust, and affordability when choosing financial providers. Fee-free overdraft protection and international transfers are features that appeal strongly to this group, while personal networks and community involvement play a critical role in their engagement with financial advice and providers.

Personalized products, educational resources, and community-driven outreach must remain top-of-mind for FIs looking to foster trusting, long-term relationships with a group that is vital to the country’s economy and society.

Note: In the context of this report, “foreign-born” refers to adults who were born outside the US, while “newcomers” refers to foreign-born adults who have resided in the country for less than five years. These consumers are also collectively referred to as “global citizens”.

This report looks at the following areas:

  • Financial product ownership
  • Motives behind latest credit card opening
  • Channels used to interact with providers
  • Banks used
  • Motives behind choosing current provider
  • Most valuable banking features
  • Sources used for financial advice
  • Behaviors and attitudes toward FIs

Consumers born outside of the US represent a dynamic and growing market for FIs, driving the need for inclusive, accessible, culturally sensitive solutions.

Amr Hamdi, Senior Analyst – Financial Services

Market Definitions

“Foreign-born” refers to adults that were born outside of the US, while “newcomers” refers to foreign-born adults that have resided in the country for less than five years. These consumers are also collectively referred to as “global citizens”.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Foreign-born adults grapple with a wide range of barriers during initial engagement with FIs
    • Graph 1: barriers foreign-born consumers faced when interacting with FIs for the first time, 2024
    • There remains a need for inclusive banking solutions tailored to newcomers
    • Newcomers lag in ownership across entry-level financial products
    • Graph 2: foreign-born consumers’ financial product ownership, by time lived in the US, 2024
    • 64% of newcomers would be interested in bundling multiple products
    • Graph 3: foreign-born consumers’ interest in bundling financial products, by time lived in the US, 2024
    • Market predictions
    • Opportunities
    • Younger newcomers place a higher reliance on personal networks when choosing their FI
    • Graph 4: motives behind choosing current provider, by time lived in the US and age, 2024
    • CIBC and Chime speak to the mutual benefits of its referral offers, with the former taking a culturally-targeted approach
    • YouTube and Facebook are the two most used social media channels for financial advice
    • Graph 5: social media platforms foreign-born consumers use for financial advice, 2024
  2. MARKET DYNAMICS

    • Market context
    • Market drivers
    • America’s foreign-born population has been an upwards trajectory for the past half-century
    • Graph 6: number and percentage of foreign-born adults in the US, 1970-2023
    • Four in ten foreign-born adults are 55 or older, but a sizeable share are between the ages of 18-44
    • Graph 7: foreign-born vs native-born consumers, by age, 2024
  3. CONSUMER INSIGHTS

    • Consumer fast facts
    • Foreign-born consumer profile
    • A third of foreign-born adults are Hispanic
    • Graph 8: foreign-born consumers, by race and ethnicity, 2024
    • Over a third of foreign-born adults are bilingual Spanish speakers
    • Graph 9: foreign-born consumers, by languages primarily spoken at home, 2024
    • Foreign-born adults are most likely to fall in lower income brackets
    • Graph 10: native-born vs foreign-born consumers, by household income, 2024
    • Parents make up half of foreign-born adults
    • Graph 11: foreign-born parents, by age of children in household, 2024
    • Foreign-born consumers’ needs vary based on length of time in the US
    • Graph 12: foreign-born consumers, by time lived in the US, 2024
    • Retention efforts and catering to specific needs can help create customers for life
    • A third of foreign-born adults are in full-time positions
    • Graph 13: foreign-born consumers’ employment status, 2024
    • Canadian FIs leveraged the power of partnerships to support newcomers’ search for employment
    • Financial product ownership
    • The majority of foreign-born adults have basic banking products, but acquisition opportunities are still aplenty for FIs
    • Graph 14: native-born vs foreign-born consumers’ financial product ownership, 2024
    • Marcus speaks to how high-yield savings account can support achieving one’s financial goals
    • US Bank clearly outlines its eligibility requirements when opening an account
    • Investing is core to wealth-building and retirement, yet foreign-born consumers are still behind when it comes to ownership levels
    • Graph 15: investment ownership, by time lived in the US, 2024
    • Different segments necessitate tailored approaches around retirement and investing outreach
    • Different segments necessitate tailored approaches around retirement and investing outreach (cont’d)
    • Motives behind credit card opening
    • Rewards and credit building are the primary motivations behind foreign-born consumers’ recent card opening
    • Graph 16: foreign-born consumers’ motives behind opening their newest credit card, 2024
    • FIs promote their secured offerings by speaking to both the credit-building and monetary rewards of the product
    • Younger foreign-born adults are more likely to be driven by a combination of credit building capabilities and rewards
    • Graph 17: foreign-born consumers’ motives behind opening their newest credit card, by age and household income, 2024
    • Channels used to interact with providers
    • Mobile is most used, but in-person interactions still provide great value
    • Graph 18: how foreign-born consumers interact with their providers most frequently, 2024
    • Position branches as relationship-building hubs
    • Compared to their younger counterparts, older foreign-born adults are most likely to utilize branches as a medium of interaction
    • Graph 19: how foreign-born consumers interact with their providers most frequently, by age, 2024
    • Banks foreign-born consumers use
    • The majority of foreign-born consumers are banked with the Big Four
    • Graph 20: banks foreign-born consumers use, 2024
    • Hispanic foreign-born adults are more likely to bank with BofA
    • Graph 21: banks foreign-born consumers use, by race and ethnicity, 2024
    • Chase serve the higher-end of the income spectrum among foreign-born adults, while BofA and Wells Fargo are engaged with a more diverse group
    • Graph 22: banks foreign-born consumers use, by household income, 2024
    • Despite heavily trailing the legacy FIs, online-only banks have still captured a solid share of younger foreign-born consumers
    • Graph 23: banks foreign-born consumers use, by age, 2024
    • Motives behind choosing current provider
    • Accessibility, trust, and affordability – the trifecta behind foreign-born consumers motives when choosing their FI
    • Graph 24: motives behind choosing current provider, 2024
    • These diverse motives require distinct solutions if FIs are to capture a greater share of foreign-born consumers
    • The human experience, especially for Hispanic and bilingual consumers, plays a critical acquisition role
    • Graph 25: motives behind choosing current provider, by race, ethnicity, and language spoken, 2024
    • Rewards programs present fruitful engagement grounds with foreign-born consumers
    • Graph 26: motives behind choosing current provider, by household income, 2024
    • Most valuable banking features
    • The level-setting of features across fintechs, online-only and legacy FIs is increasing the competitive playing field
    • Graph 27: most valuable banking features for foreign-born consumers, 2024
    • Nearly half of newcomers consider international money transfers valuable to them
    • Graph 28: most valuable banking features for foreign-born consumers, by time lived in the US and age, 2024
    • Lower-income households place a higher value on overdraft protection
    • Parents desire flexibility and help with saving
    • Graph 29: most valuable banking features for foreign-born consumers, by parental status, 2024
    • Sources used for financial advice
    • Trust and familiarity impact go-to sources for financial advice
    • Graph 30: sources foreign-born consumers use for financial advice, 2024
    • Reliance on their family & friends for advice is driven by younger age groups
    • Graph 31: foreign-born consumers’ usage of family/friends for financial advice, by age, 2024
    • Social media can be a valuable source of learning, especially for younger consumers
    • Graph 32: foreign-born consumers’ usage of social media for financial advice, by age, 2024
    • Messaging about diverse advisory networks remains key, particularly speaking to this groups’ linguistic and cultural needs.
    • Graph 33: foreign-born consumers’ usage of financial advisors for advice, by household income, 2024
    • Behaviors and attitudes toward FIs
    • The variance in trust across these diverse segments underscores the need for a more tailored engagement approach
    • Graph 34: foreign-born consumers’ satisfaction and trust in their providers, by age, race, and ethnicity, 2024
    • Hispanic and Asian adults value banking at FIs that actively contribute to their communities
    • Graph 35: foreign-born consumers’ importance placed on FIs’ community involvement, by race and ethnicity, 2024
    • The majority desire educational resources tailored to their current situations
    • The majority of newcomers agree that credit scores are not an accurate indication of their repayment capabilities
    • Graph 36: foreign-born consumers’ attitudes towards credit scores, by time lived in the US, 2024
    • Fintechs, like Nova Credit, have stepped up in recent years to address this pain point among newcomers
  4. Innovation and Marketing strategies

    • Marketing and advertising
    • Bank of America’s webpage is a best-in-class example of how legacy FIs can support newcomers
    • Bank of America’s webpage is a best-in-class example of how legacy FIs can support newcomers (cont’d)
    • Through targeted outreach, Majority highlights a wide range of benefits its foreign-born Hispanic audience will resonate with
    • RBC humanizes its diverse advisory network, helping the brand appear more relatable to foreign-born consumers
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms

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