$10K Experiment Yields Life-Changing Gains and Crushing Losses in Wild Asset Returns
A hypothetical $10,000 investment in various assets from January 2021 to April 2026 revealed significant returns ranging from life-changing gains to total losses. MarketWise analyzed 21 wildly different assets, including cryptocurrency and stocks.
Solana led the pack with a +3,476% return, turning $10,000 into $357,628 in five years, starting at just $2.49 in January 2021. A sealed Pokémon card box returned +1,750%, outperforming major cryptocurrencies such as Dogecoin (+919%), Bitcoin (+141%), and Ethereum (+133%).
On the other end of the spectrum, meme stocks showed extreme dispersion: GameStop surged by +469% while AMC plummeted to -91%. Bed Bath & Beyond investors were wiped out entirely, with a -100% return. The results highlight how market outcomes are shaped by timing and hype rather than fundamentals.