Ten years of gold price rise compared to the stock market: How much is your k yuan gold bar worth now?

If you had spent 1000 yuan on gold in 2015, how many times would it have multiplied by today?

Data speaks: Ten years ago, the average gold price was $1158.86/oz, now it has risen to $2744.67/oz, an increase of 136%. Calculating it, your 1000 dollars is now worth about 2360 dollars—sounds pretty good.

But compare it to the U.S. stock market S&P 500? It has risen 174% over ten years, with an annualized return of 17.41%, and it even pays dividends. Although gold preserves value, when it comes to profitability, it is indeed outperformed by the stock market.

Why are there still people obsessed with gold? Because it is the true “safe-haven asset”. In 2020, during the pandemic, gold rose by 24.43% in a year; in 2023, amid inflation anxiety, gold rose by 13.08%. When financial markets collapse and fiat currencies depreciate, gold often rises against the trend—this is called negative correlation hedging, which other investments cannot achieve.

It is predicted that gold prices will rise by about 10% in 2025, approaching the $3,000 mark.

Conclusion: Gold is not for becoming rich, but for having something valuable when “economic zombies attack”. Allocating 10-15% in gold to balance risk is steadier than going all in on stocks.