Around 22 million teenagers are making their pocket money on video games, online reselling, and in-game platforms like Roblox

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. Teenagers’ changing aspirations should come as no surprise as Gen Alpha tweens grow up binging MrBeast videos over “Law & Order.” Now, more middle-school and high-school kids are turning their focus to digital careers in lieu of traditional jobs that have been romanticized for generations. Fortune contacted Block for comment. Gen Alpha dreams of becoming YouTube creators and influencers Gen Alpha is gaining steam as a force of unconventional entrepreneurship in the economy. The youngest generation, ranging from newborn babies to 16 years in age, has already surpassed $100 billion in direct spending power annually, according to a 2025 report from DKC. Around 91% of Gen Alpha kids are working or making money on their own, with 40% getting paid for “odd jobs” outside of the house. And their affluence is only set to grow, as the teens and tweens are on track to re