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The concept of gamification, originating from the video game industry, has transcended into various fields of technology in the early 2000s as a novel marketing strategy. As banking apps and platforms continue to rise, gamification is reshaping how banks and fintech companies interact with their users, drawing valuable lessons from engaging video game experiences. Early successes revealed that integrating game elements into financial services increased customer loyalty and satisfaction. With the gamification market to grow at an annual compound rate of almost 26% through 2029, it's evident that we’re just getting started.
How Is Gaming Attracting More Users To Digital Banking?
Boosting Customer Engagement
Banking apps will never be as fun to use as video games themselves, but that's not the point. The goal is to engage the users with a little hit of dopamine and make it fun enough for them to come back. Unlocking achievements within the banking profile is an easy way to do just that. From opening a new account to hitting savings goals or managing a budget. Making every little step count.
A 2023 study found that gamified onboarding campaigns increased daily active users by 22%, while reward-based goal tracking raised retention by 15% in the first 60 days. Players (users) keep coming back because each action feels purposeful, which reflects highly in long-term engagement metrics.
Driving Financial Literacy the Fun Way
Gamification acts as a dynamic tutor, offering an engaging platform to educate users about complex financial concepts, promote responsible spending, and encourage sound financial habits. From simulated investment scenarios to budgeting challenges, users learn by doing, making financial education accessible and enjoyable. A perfect example is the platform that creates lessons and challenges for kids to help them learn and earn allowance in the process.
A perfect example is the platform that creates lessons and challenges for kids to help them learn and earn allowance in the process. Similarly, Revolut's "Learn & Earn" mini-modules reported a 76% completion rate in 2024, while users who completed them were 2.5x more likely to invest small amounts in the app.
Creating Unique User Experiences
In the gamified world, every user is unique, and their experiences should reflect that. Banks can gather valuable enriched data provided by companies like , which highlight user preferences and behaviors through different channels,l including gamification. It enables them to tailor services and recommendations for a more personalised experience and use the smart data to the fullest. Increased engagement leads to more refined, personalised interactions, creating a strong connection between users and financial institutions.
Increased engagement leads to more refined, personalised interactions, creating a strong connection between users and financial institutions. According to , 91% of consumers say they are more likely to engage with brands that remember and provide relevant information and offers, and gamified engagement is one of the most effective ways to collect that insight organically.
Psychological Hooks That Engage Users
Unlocking Achievements
The goal is simple - engage users and make their interactions worthwhile. Unlocking achievements within the banking profile for completing different tasks, such as making payments, opening accounts or completing quizzes, is encouraging them to return.
What’s important here is the structure and visibility of the progress. Many banks now introduce “onboarding journeys” that are broken down into micro-steps where each “first action” (first transfer, first savings target, first virtual card, first referral) unlocks a badge. Starling Bank reports that users who complete at least 4 onboarding achievements within the first week generate 42% more interactions in the following 30 days.
This shows that the “transparency of progress” is as important as the reward itself - eliciting the same dopamine-driven motivation people experience in mobile games.
Rewarded Progress
A reward system closely follows achievements. As users progress through different challenges in their banking journey, incentives like collecting points to unlock unique sales or VIP treatment give them a reason to use the banking app more. In return, fuel it with data that can be used for tailoring the experience further.
Digital-only banks like Monobank (Ukraine) report that their bonus/points features are used by over 70% of active users, with a 20% spend increase among users who collect points weekly. Even more interesting is that users who exchange their collected points for discounts are 18% more likely to use the bank’s premium products (credit cards, travel insurance) within three months.
Revolut took this one step further in 2024 by integrating its reward program with e-commerce; users can now use collected points to unlock cashback offers directly in linked partner stores. According to Revolut, this drove an 11.4% increase in transaction volume in Q4 2023 from users actively participating in the program.
Leaderboards and Stats
Beyond rewards, healthy competition drives people forward. Implementing leaderboards fosters a sense of competition, boosting engagement and making every banking encounter more enjoyable. Who wouldn't want to be the best budget saver in their city?
This approach works especially well in sustainability and saving-related campaigns - for example, Intesa Sanpaolo launched a “Green Missions” campaign in 2023, and users participating in leaderboards saved 14% more on average over three months, compared to non-participating users. Users were shown weekly stats not only of their progress, but also how they ranked compared to other users in their region - “Top 10% of green savers in Milan.”
Another example is Klarna, which introduced a “Smart Spending Tracker” that ranks users against their age group. Klarna reports that over 60% of users who entered the leaderboard checked their rank at least twice per week and that 27% of them adjusted their spending behavior to move up the ranks.
Quizzes and Mini-Games
Gamification in banking apps isn't just about rewards; it has the potential to educate and level up financial literacy. Interactive quizzes, puzzles, and mini-games serve as effective tools to test knowledge and reinforce learning in an enjoyable manner.
BBVA introduced in-app quizzes that reward users with points for correct answers. According to their , those who completed the quizzes spent 11% less on non-essential purchases the following month – a direct behavioral impact based on fun micro-learning.
Other banks such as Nationwide and N26 offer mini-games around budgeting (“Daily Budget Challenge”) and environmental impact (“Carbon Footprint game”), resulting in 20–30% higher participation rates among younger users (18–25 age segment). The reason is simple - the gamified format removes the intimidation factor normally associated with finance, and breaks complex ideas down into quick, interactive bits that fit into users’ everyday app routines.
Moving beyond turning financial tasks into games, gamification represents a strategic approach to making the entire banking experience more immersive, interactive, and enjoyable. All built on the core element that connects all - data.
