Small Investors' 100,000 Investment Guide: Opening the Door to Wealth with Mindset, Projects, and Time

Many people think investing is only necessary after accumulating millions. But in today’s accelerating inflation, that mindset will only keep you busier and poorer. Look at the prices around you: eggs, meals, rent—all soaring and hard to go back down; when mortgage rates stabilize above 2.2%, every dollar’s purchasing power is being invisibly diluted. For the average small investor, investing 100,000 NT dollars isn’t an unreachable dream but a milestone achievable through effort. This 100,000 is your seed to fight inflation and the starting point for wealth growth.

Why is a 100,000 NT dollar investment so crucial for small investors?

Saving up to 1 million NT dollars may take years, but investing 100,000 NT dollars is a threshold within reach. Instead of letting this money sit in a savings account and be eaten away by inflation, it’s better to let it start working for you. The core value of a 100,000 NT dollar investment isn’t the amount itself but the mindset shift it represents—from passive saving to active planning.

Successful investing never requires a huge principal but depends on the perfect combination of three key elements: the right mindset, choosing the right projects, and sufficient time. As long as these three are in place, small investors can also achieve financial freedom through a 100,000 NT dollar investment.

Build the right investment mindset—start with bookkeeping

Many think investing is gambling, but it should be like running a business: clearly tracking inflows and outflows, planning cash flow. The first rule of investing is only use spare money—funds that won’t affect your daily life if used.

Why emphasize this? Because the value of investment assets doesn’t rise in a straight line; they fluctuate. When you need to use money, your investments might be in a downturn, forcing you to sell at a loss. This is extremely detrimental to asset growth. Therefore, bookkeeping isn’t just about recording expenses; it helps you, like a business, clearly understand income and expenses, and carve out a stable “free cash flow.” This free cash flow is your confidence in the 100,000 NT dollar investment.

Find the right 100,000 NT dollar investment strategy for yourself

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for a 100,000 NT dollar investment. Your approach depends on your current life situation and goals. Simply put, it’s about “finding income for your expenses.”

For example, if you have fixed monthly expenses like phone bills, utilities, or want to travel or upgrade your phone annually, finding corresponding investment targets to support these expenses gives you motivation to invest.

If your expenses are fixed monthly: consider monthly dividend funds or high-yield assets. Many funds pay 7–8% dividends, so investing 100,000 NT dollars could yield 7,000–8,000 NT dollars annually, about 600–700 NT dollars per month, enough to cover your phone bills. Then you can calculate: if you want to support other expenses like a 30,000–40,000 NT dollar trip or new phone, you’d need a 30–40% return on your 100,000 NT principal. This isn’t achievable through just stock savings; it requires more active strategies like swing trading.

The advantage of small capital is flexibility. You can act like a nomad, investing wherever opportunities arise, with minimal market impact. Today’s trading platforms—whether for US stocks, indices, precious metals, or cryptocurrencies—have low barriers and even support leverage to amplify gains. As long as you choose the right direction and turn over assets efficiently, you can quickly grow your principal. Meanwhile, reinvesting your income as new principal, and with compound interest, your assets grow like a rolling snowball. Appropriate turnover and leverage can accelerate wealth accumulation toward your goals.

Three different investor paths

The key to success with a 100,000 NT dollar investment is choosing a method that suits you. No single approach fits everyone, so finding the strategy that matches your lifestyle is essential for long-term wealth building.

Stable jobholders: the “time for compound interest” path

Your advantage is steady cash flow; your disadvantage is slow principal accumulation. The best approach for you is the “time for space” strategy leveraging compound interest. Consider dividend funds or high-yield ETFs.

These investors prioritize stability. If your investment assets generate steady cash flow like your salary, it’s more rewarding. Over time, the dividends can even surpass your salary, effectively earning you a monthly pension.

While this method doesn’t generate compound growth quickly, it offers quick, sustainable returns and is easier to stick with. For those with stable jobs, this is a relatively suitable 100,000 NT dollar investment approach for conservative small investors.

High-income earners: passive wealth through index ETFs

Professionals like doctors or engineers with high salaries but limited time to monitor markets should consider investing in ETFs that track major indices. For example, Taiwan’s 0050 tracks the top 50 companies; the US’s SPY tracks the S&P 500.

These index ETFs automatically “weed out the weak” and focus on strong companies. Long-term, as long as you give it time, the returns are impressive. The S&P 500’s average annual return over the past 100 years is about 8–10%. Compared to a 5% USD savings deposit, investing 100 yuan for 10 years at 10% yields about 236 yuan; at 5%, only 155 yuan—almost doubling the principal.

But stock markets carry risks. Recent years have seen major crashes: the dot-com bubble (2000), the 2008 financial crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation in 2022. Although markets rebounded and reached new highs, if you need to access your money during downturns, you must sell at a loss. These periods often involve layoffs, forcing small investors to liquidate assets to maintain cash flow. Therefore, long-term investing suits those with high income and strong risk tolerance who can withstand volatility and enjoy higher returns.

Additionally, moderate leverage in real estate can be considered if you’re confident in property appreciation. With high income and low-interest loans, the overall benefit improves—especially when you’re young with low opportunity costs.

Patient, active investors: high-turnover trend trading

If you’re a student or have a business-oriented job with plenty of time to research markets, you can try catching trends and volatility to grow wealth through turnover. Your main time investment is gathering information rather than waiting after entry.

For example, when the US interest rate hike cycle nears its end, a future decline or QE is likely, increasing dollar supply. Shorting the dollar then has a high success rate. Dollar depreciation also boosts cryptocurrencies. Stock markets periodically see “hot themes,” with related concept stocks rising—AI concepts are a prime example. These are opportunities for patient investors to actively seize with a 100,000 NT dollar investment.

Four asset classes to consider for the next decade

Once you’ve established your strategy, the next step is proper asset allocation. We categorize future investment targets into four functional roles, not just industry sectors:

Defensive assets: the hedge role of gold

Gold has no dividends; all gains come from price differences. Long-term, gold effectively hedges inflation and currency depreciation. During economic instability or market volatility, gold’s safe-haven role becomes more prominent.

Major gold price surges correspond to significant economic events: mid-2019 to mid-2020 (COVID-19), US rate cuts, and 2023–2025 uncertainties like the Russia-Ukraine war. These moments highlight gold’s role as a “crisis safe harbor.”

Transformation assets: redefining Bitcoin

Bitcoin is no longer just a speculative tool. As it’s included in ETFs, sovereign funds, and even corporate balance sheets, it’s transforming into a digital reserve asset.

As of February 2026, Bitcoin’s price is $63,200, maintaining a solid position in crypto. Over the past decade, Bitcoin has evolved from an obscure asset to institutional holdings, reflecting shifts in global central bank policies and capital allocation. For long-term blockchain believers, Bitcoin can serve as a transformative asset in your 100,000 NT dollar portfolio.

Growth assets: AI and energy engines

Growth assets are sectors with potential for sustained revenue and profit growth in the coming years. Data centers, AI servers, and cloud computing are examples—these have high costs and entry barriers, but once established, they create deep moats. Be prepared for volatility.

NVIDIA: AI computing leader

NVIDIA dominates AI computing, with GPUs and data center platforms essential for large AI models. Its integrated hardware-software advantage maintains technological leadership and high margins. For investors, NVIDIA isn’t just about AI hype but about the long-term story of commercialized computing power and profit expansion.

TSMC: Semiconductor infrastructure

TSMC is the world’s leading foundry, supporting AI, metaverse, and automation industries. With advanced process nodes (3nm, 2nm), it maintains a technological edge and steady orders from major AI firms. As a key player in global tech supply chains, future demand is unlikely to decline sharply, making TSMC a direct and relatively stable target for global AI growth.

NextEra Energy: Green energy and grid integration

NEE is one of the largest renewable energy and grid companies in the US, with extensive renewable assets, energy storage, and grid infrastructure. It benefits from scale and favorable regulations, with stable cash flow and dividends. As AI-driven electricity demand surges over the next decade, investments in power and grid infrastructure are more resilient than just solar or wind alone.

Foundation assets for steady appreciation: 0056 and SPY

These assets’ mission is simple: don’t be left behind by the world. They may not outperform every year, but over the long term, as AI boosts productivity, they will reflect those gains.

High-dividend ETF - 0056

0056 is Taiwan’s most well-known high-dividend ETF, investing in high-yield stocks, with almost annual dividends. Capital gains are minimal; most returns come from dividends.

Over ten years, 0056’s dividends have grown by about 60%, with a 40% increase in stock price. Given Taiwan’s dividend yield around 4%, future returns are expected to be similar, doubling the initial investment over ten years—about 6,000 NT dollars annually in dividends on a 100,000 NT dollar principal.

Imagine investing 100,000 NT dollars every year: even if you spend all dividends, after 13 years, annual dividends reach 100,000 NT dollars; after 25 years, over 200,000 NT dollars per year. This can supplement your pension or retirement income, especially for civil servants or those with higher pensions. It’s a steady, growing income stream that motivates continued saving.

Index ETF - SPY

SPY tracks the top 500 US companies. Over the past decade, SPY’s price rose from 201 to 434, a 116% increase. Its annual dividend yield is about 1.1% (after taxes), with capital gains averaging around 8%.

While dividends are lower, its capital appreciation is unmatched in Taiwan. As long as you believe in the US economy’s resilience, SPY is a reliable long-term wealth builder. The downside is minimal cash flow; overall, it’s about asset appreciation. Success depends on your stable income to sustain investments.

Three core elements to realize a 100,000 NT dollar investment

Many of the above methods don’t require large capital—just a few thousand NT dollars regularly invested or participating via CFDs in major trends. As long as you have good investment mindset, select promising projects, and give it enough time, a 100,000 NT dollar investment can ignite your wealth engine.

Success depends not on the initial amount but on these three elements: proper asset allocation and risk management (mindset), carefully chosen long-term growth targets (projects), and patience or diligent research on entry and exit points (time).

For small investors, 100,000 NT dollars marks the shift from passive saving to active wealth management. With the right direction, guided by mindset, project selection, and time, this modest principal can turn into a pathway to becoming a small millionaire. Start your 100,000 NT dollar investment journey now.

More trading tools and resources

Using professional trading platforms makes executing a 100,000 NT dollar investment more convenient. Many platforms offer zero commissions, tight spreads, real-time strategies, and demo accounts for practice—reducing the learning curve before real trading.