Gold vs Stocks: A 10-Year Reality Check

Imagine you threw $1k into gold back in 2015. Today? You’d have around $2,360. Not bad—136% gains, averaging 13.6% annually.

But here’s the kicker: the S&P 500 crushed it with 174% returns over the same period. Gold’s been solid, yet slower.

Why does gold still matter then?

Gold doesn’t produce cash flow like stocks or real estate. It just… exists. But that’s exactly the point—it’s a hedge when everything else burns. In 2020 (pandemic chaos), gold jumped 24.43%. In 2023 (inflation spiral), up 13.08%.

Historically, gold’s returns are all over the map:

• 1970s: 40.2% annual (post-Nixon dollar shift)
• 1980-2023: only 4.4% annual
• 1990s: mostly red

The real value? Gold doesn’t correlate with stock crashes. When markets tank, gold often rises. It’s insurance, not a wealth-building machine.

2025 forecast: Analysts expect ~10% upside, potentially pushing gold near $3,000/oz.

Bottom line: Gold’s the defensive play. Don’t expect stock-like returns, but sleep better knowing you’ve got something with millennia of credibility when the world gets chaotic.