From crypto to climate: how Gen Z can redefine the future of cybersecurity

As the first true internet generation, Gen Z has fundamentally reshaped the ecosystem around their “always-on, always-available, always-accessible” global expectations. This propensity for constant engagement propels the proliferation of fully distributed global infrastructures. This is transforming traditional sectors and also forging entirely new economies like cryptocurrency and online gaming.

It is precisely Gen Z's enthusiastic embrace and rapid adoption of these nascent, globally interconnected digital industries that are proving to be particularly ripe targets for malicious actors. Nowhere is this clearer than in the Gen Z-driven cryptocurrency economy, a market surpassing the GDP of France, and an asset this generation is four times more likely to hold than a retirement account.

But this sector stands at the epicenter of global cybercrime, with direct hacking of cryptocurrency exchanges last year resulting in over $2.2 billion in losses. Many of these exchanges operate in less mature jurisdictions.

This is particularly pronounced because Gen Z drives digital adoption in emerging markets. And as this digital growth expands, so does exposure to cyberthreats, with new ecosystems emerging in less regulated but digitally active markets.

This shift is already underway. INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment reports a sharp rise in ransomware, business email compromise and online scams across the continent. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian crime syndicates are reportedly leveraging weak governance in places like Cambodia and Myanmar to run industrial-scale online fraud operations that generate billions in illicit revenue and exploit vulnerable populations through forced cybercrime labour.

At the international level, Gen Z's influence is driving a fundamental shift toward multilateral cyber governance that prioritizes human rights alongside national security interests. Unlike previous generations that accepted fragmented, nation-state-centric approaches to cyber policy, Gen Z advocates for harmonized global standards that reflect their lived experience of borderless digital communities.

Young cyber policy advocates from organizations like Access Now and Global Partners Digital are successfully pushing for models that mandate community consultation, require algorithmic transparency and establish binding international standards for cross-border data protection. Their message to policy-makers is clear: In a globally connected ecosystem, cybersecurity governance must be as borderless and inclusive as the threats it addresses.

This values-driven approach is also reshaping corporate cybersecurity governance. Younger consumers will drive the need for ethical security architecture, which embeds privacy-by-design, audits for algorithmic bias and the adoption of transparent response protocols that prioritize user rights over brand protection.

We can also expect governance to evolve further, incorporating frameworks like Digital Equity Reporting to assess the societal impact of security decisions. Early signals of this shift are visible in how companies like Equifax have responded to past breaches by publishing transparent annual reports to rebuild trust and demonstrate accountability.

Ultimately, this generation sees cybersecurity governance not as a technical necessity but as a reflection of corporate values. And they’re willing to take their business elsewhere if those values fall short.

How an organization approaches cybersecurity will vary but the Cyber Resilience Compass shows practices that can help guide businesses. 
Source: The Cyber Resilience Compass 2025, World Economic Forum