By Lucas Parker
Looking back on certain trends, all of us wished at some point to have invested in them early on. Whether it is Microsoft or Apple, going way back, or Cryptocurrency in recent years, these investments left early-adopters rich. Over the years Amazon, Google, Netflix, and SpaceX have all achieved incredible growth and it resulted in plenty of exceptionally happy investors. Now, back in the days, no one could have predicted that these, garage-office companies would reach soaring heights, where they find themselves today. They took the world by surprise and have shaped our daily lives as well as the business culture. But today, with the advancements in technology, trends are much more transparent and predictable. We can much more easily anticipate the way global investments are headed and can see further into the future. The certainty of those calculated predictions is also much more certain. Let us go over the most perspective ways for our investments to bear the most fruit.
1. Various forms of Cryptocurrency
One of the biggest buzzwords lately is the blockchain and cryptocurrencies. The most associated term with the latter is Bitcoin. Far from being the only cryptocurrency in circulation, but it is one of the first and most prominent ones. There are over 1,600 separate digital currencies all varying in value and popularity. Plenty of them are characteristic to specific niches, but virtually all have the same things in common. They use blockchains which are distributed ledgers that validate transactions almost instantly and far more affordably. In short, cryptocurrency is an incredibly volatile market. But even with the many country-wide bans on it, all experts agree that it is the future. A truly global and decentralized currency is the stuff of science fiction. But, there will undoubtedly be an unprecedented return on investment (ROI) for early adopters, no question about it. The only question is when?
2. Internet of Things (IoT)
As of this year, there are 18 billion devices connected to the internet. This number is on an unbelievable upward streak. What the Internet of Things represents is the electrification of our surroundings, the common appliances we take for granted. A refrigerator that can give us the list of its contents over the internet, or a live feed of our home. These two, and many more represent just some of the ways that the Internet of Things can make lives better. Not purely a consumer-oriented concept, IoT will create an untold number of job openings. The automation of such a wide variety of common (and uncommon) appliances is a complicated task. It will require a workforce of great magnitude and thus, create a demand for skilled and unskilled labor. Efforts are being put in place to unify these concepts in the form of Amazon Echo, Apple’s Alexa and Google Nest. These intelligent platforms put together all that has been developed thus far in a compact, family-friendly package. Since these systems are still in development, and will constantly be in that phase, it is the perfect time to start investing. The sooner we can get our stake in it, the sooner we can start seeing the fruits of our labor.
3. Precious materials
The global financial crisis of 2008 has proven that even the biggest, worldwide institutions can be compromised by a catastrophic event. Leaving the economy severely damaged, people have been resorting to more traditional forms of saving and investing. Precious materials such as gold, silver diamonds and the likes have been gaining its popularity back, and for good reason. Out of all valuable materials, precious stones historically seem to be the best form of holding value. Diamonds have been used during many trying times by people to effectively transport value. When the ruling class of Russia was cast out, the need to carry large amounts of value was facilitated by diamonds. In the same way, World War II refugees took their possessions and transformed them into gemstones. This way, they could transport the value on their person and later on use it however they pleased. The price of diamonds per carat is on a steady rise for a long time now. This makes for early adopters a great opportunity to put their two cents in. If you are looking for viable Australian alternative investments, precious stones are historically proven to be one of the best investment options you can make.
4. Going green
The world is turning away from fossil fuels and non-renewable forms of energy at an ever-increasing speed. What is left is solar energy, wind power and the energy of running water. The industry surrounding these movements is one that is witnessing vertigo-inducing growth. Solar panels, wind turbines, and hydropower plants in their various forms are constantly being developed and perfected. There is always room for investors to chime in and reap the early adopter fruits. If you are feeling exceptionally adventurous, or are simply scientifically driven, consider exotic forms of generating energy. Nuclear fusion is years away from the commercial market and is still in its testing phases. A highly profitable prospect that represents a perfect opportunity for anyone tech-savvy to help the idea grow. The time for it could not be better because of it phase status. Remember, the earlier we invest in a project the better the cost to benefit ratio is to us.
Thanks to all the advancements in technology and the globalization of information it is easier than ever to invest. Making smart, long-term decisions is a matter of digging deep enough through a sea of information readily available to all of us. The most traditional forms of investment, with the exclusion of precious stones, have shown their weaknesses during the last decades. No one will claim that the stock market or savings are obsolete, but they do provide us with a weaker risk to benefit ratio. It all comes down to a simple calculus. How can we get the most out of our investment, for as long as possible, with as little risk as possible? The points we have covered encompass the most prominent forms of investing while considering these ever-important variables. So, start today and make your own investment into the future.
Lucas Parker is a business consultant with a passion for the writing. Doing his research, exploring and writing are his favorite things to do. He works as a consultant for Diamond Portfolio in Sydney. Besides that, he loves playing his guitar, hiking and traveling.
Diamond stock photo by Bjoern Wylezich/Shutterstock
