Financial wellbeing isn’t a buzzword. It’s a brand opportunity.
Good news feels a little harder to come by these days, so here’s some. We’re seeing more finance brands stepping up to help Australians feel more in control of their money.
It’s not just from the goodness of their hearts. Supporting financial wellbeing is smart brand building. And, when done well, it’s a clear point of difference in a market full of sameness.
When people feel financially confident, they’re more loyal, more engaged and more likely to spread the word. That’s not wishful thinking. Recent research shows a strong link between financial confidence and brand preference.
What makes this space so powerful is how naturally it connects to the moments that matter. Whether someone’s saving for their first home or trying to get back on top of things after a hard year, financial wellbeing is how brands can show up with empathy, relevance and value.
And that’s where the opportunity lives.
Financial wellbeing works best when it’s built in, not bolted on
The brands doing this well aren’t pointing people to a hub of tools tucked into the footer of their website. They’re baking it into the experience.
It shows up in the way they speak to customers. It’s part of their product design. And it’s woven through the moments where real-life decisions are being made.
Most people aren’t actively hunting for a budgeting tool. They’ll engage when something changes: when things feel tight, uncertain or in flux. That’s why the strongest examples of wellbeing support are proactive, not passive. They offer support at the right moment, in the right place, without asking customers to go looking for it.
When that happens, financial wellbeing doesn’t feel like a box ticked. It feels like care. It’s a sign that a brand understands what people need and is ready to help, before being asked.
Market leaders understand that money is emotional
Nobody reaches for a financial tool because they’re chasing a dopamine hit. They do it because they want to feel less stressed, more prepared and a little more in control.
Brands that treat financial wellbeing as purely rational miss the point. The ones that acknowledge the emotion in money, like stress, guilt and small wins, are the ones building real trust.
We’ve seen it in action with Hi Money, who support women to take small, supported steps toward financial confidence. Their tools are practical. Their tone is calm and reassuring. They don’t assume or expect their customers to have it all together, and they don’t make them feel bad for it.
That emotional intelligence doesn’t just make the experience better. It makes the brand more memorable.
Who else is setting the pace?
Bank Australia pairs ethical banking with practical tools like budgeting calculators and spend tracking.
Frollo uses open banking data to personalise insights, with nudges, goal setting and gentle accountability baked in.
Australian Unity takes a whole-of-life approach to financial wellbeing. As a member-owned organisation, they focus on long-term impact over short-term gains, offering tools and support that connect everyday money decisions with broader life goals.
WeMoney has created a peer-to-peer experience where people can share wins, get support and feel part of something bigger.
CommBank leads with evidence, using its Financial Wellbeing Score (developed with the Melbourne Institute) to help customers track their financial health, then follow it up with tailored nudges and tools inside their app.
Each of these brands is showing that financial wellbeing isn’t a product feature. It’s a mindset, and increasingly a differentiator.
The opportunity is wide open
A library of tools might tick the box. But it’s not the same as showing up.
True support is in the small moments, like a prompt that arrives when it’s actually needed. It’s what transforms a brand from provider to partner. It’s how you move from talking about trust to earning it.
In a climate where people feel less certain and less in control, being the brand that helps someone take a step forward is something to feel good about.