Real Estate Investments

Real estate has been a popular investment option for many years. It is a tangible asset that has the potential to appreciate in value over time. There are various ways to invest in real estate, including rental properties, flipping properties, and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

Rental properties can provide a steady stream of rental income and the potential for long-term appreciation in property value. Flipping properties involves buying a property, renovating it, and selling it for a profit. REITs are companies that own and manage income-producing real estate properties. They offer investors the opportunity to invest in real estate without having to buy, manage, or finance properties themselves.

If you are a Kenyan, one of the REITs you could try is Vuka, a REIT created by Acorn Investments and Approved by The Capital Markets Authority. It allows you to invest for as low as 250/=. Try it today: Vuka Investment Club

Stocks

Investing in stocks is another popular way to grow your wealth. Stocks represent ownership in a company and offer investors the potential for long-term capital appreciation and dividends. There are various ways to invest in stocks, including individual stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Individual stocks can provide higher returns but also carry higher risk. Mutual funds and ETFs offer diversification, which can help to lower risk. They are also professionally managed, which can be an advantage for investors who don’t have the time or expertise to manage their own portfolios.

Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies have gained popularity in recent years as an alternative investment option. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized digital assets that use encryption techniques to secure transactions and control the creation of new units. They offer investors the potential for high returns but also come with high volatility and risk.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin are some of the most popular cryptocurrencies. Investors can buy and hold cryptocurrencies as long-term investments or trade them actively to try and take advantage of short-term price movements.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer lending, also known as P2P lending, is a way for investors to lend money to individuals or businesses through an online platform. P2P lending offers investors the potential for high returns but also carries the risk of borrower default.

Investors can choose which loans to invest in based on the borrower’s credit score, loan purpose, and other criteria. P2P lending platforms charge a fee for connecting borrowers with investors and managing the loan process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are various potential medium to high returns investment options available to investors. Real estate investments, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and P2P lending are just a few of the options available. Each investment option carries its own risks and potential rewards, and investors should carefully consider their investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon before investing.

It’s important to note that investing always involves risk and there are no guarantees of returns. Therefore, investors should always do their due diligence and seek professional advice before investing. With careful planning and informed decision-making, investors can potentially grow their wealth over time through a diversified investment portfolio.

Artificial Intelligence:

• Alphabet Inc. (Google)
• Microsoft Corp.
• NVIDIA Corp.
• Intel Corp.

AI technology is revolutionizing numerous industries including healthcare, finance, and transportation by improving efficiency, accuracy and productivity.

E-Commerce:

• Amazon.com Inc.
• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Shopify Inc.
• JD.com Inc.

E-commerce has disrupted the traditional brick-and-mortar retail industry by providing convenient and accessible online shopping experiences, transforming the way people purchase goods and services.

Clean Energy:

• Tesla Inc.
• NextEra Energy Inc.
• Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P.
• First Solar Inc.

Clean energy is disrupting the traditional fossil fuel-based energy industry by promoting sustainable energy sources such as solar and wind power, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, and mitigating environmental impact.

Cryptocurrency:

• Bitcoin Investment Trust (GBTC)
• Ethereum (ETH)
• Binance Coin (BNB)
• Ripple (XRP)

Cryptocurrency is disrupting traditional finance by offering decentralized, secure, and transparent financial transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks.

Automation:

• ABB Ltd.
• Siemens AG
• Rockwell Automation Inc.
• Fanuc Corp.

Automation is disrupting various industries including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare by automating tasks and processes, increasing efficiency, and reducing the need for manual labor.

Virtual Reality:

• Facebook Inc. (Oculus VR)
• NVIDIA Corp.
• HTC Corp.
• Unity Technologies

Virtual Reality (VR) is disrupting the entertainment and gaming industries by providing immersive and interactive experiences. It also has potential applications in fields such as education, training, and healthcare.

Biotechnology:

• Moderna Inc.
• Amgen Inc.
• Gilead Sciences Inc.
• Biogen Inc.

Biotechnology is disrupting the healthcare industry by developing innovative treatments, therapies, and technologies based on the understanding of biological systems and processes.

Drones:

• DJI Technology Co. Ltd.
• AeroVironment Inc.
• Lockheed Martin Corp.
• Parrot SA

Drones are disrupting various industries including agriculture, delivery, and surveying by providing cost-effective, efficient, and innovative solutions for tasks that were previously performed by humans.

Internet of Things (IoT):

• Cisco Systems Inc.
• International Business Machines (IBM) Corp.
• Intel Corp.
• Alphabet Inc. (Google)

IoT is disrupting various industries including manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare by connecting and automating devices, enabling real-time data collection and analysis.

5G Technology:

• Qualcomm Inc.
• Ericsson AB
• Nokia Oyj
• Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

5G technology is disrupting the telecommunications industry by providing faster, more reliable, and more secure wireless communication, enabling the development of new and innovative products and services.

Blockchain:

• Square Inc. (Cash App)
• Ripple Labs Inc.
• Chain Inc.
• Coinbase Global Inc.

Blockchain is disrupting various industries including finance, supply chain management, and real estate by providing secure and transparent record-keeping, reducing the need for intermediaries, and increasing efficiency.

Cybersecurity:

• CrowdStrike Holdings Inc.
• Palo Alto Networks Inc.
• FireEye Inc.
• Symantec Corp.

Cybersecurity is disrupting various industries including finance, healthcare, and government by providing innovative solutions to protect against cyber-attacks, data breaches, and cyber threats.

Renewable Energy Storage:

• Tesla Inc. (Powerwall)
• LG Chem Ltd.
• Enphase Energy Inc.
• Sunrun Inc.

Renewable Energy Storage is disrupting the energy industry by enabling the efficient storage and distribution of renewable energy, reducing dependence on traditional fossil fuels, and improving energy security.

Space Technology:

• SpaceX
• Blue Origin LLC
• Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc.
• Maxar Technologies Inc.

Space Technology is disrupting various industries including telecommunications, earth observation, and space exploration by providing cost-effective and innovative solutions for accessing and utilizing space-based resources and capabilities.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA):

• UiPath Inc.
• Automation Anywhere Inc.
• Blue Prism Group PLC
• WorkFusion Inc.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is disrupting various industries including finance, healthcare, and customer service by automating repetitive and manual tasks, reducing errors, and improving productivity.

Quantum Computing:

• IBM Corp.
• D-Wave Systems Inc.
• Google (Alphabet Inc.)
• Rigetti Computing

Disruptive Industry: healthcare, and cryptography by providing exponential computing power and enabling the solution of complex problems that are beyond the capabilities of classical computers.

Electric Vehicles:

• Tesla Inc.
• General Motors Co.
• Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
• Volkswagen AG

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are disrupting the automotive industry by providing cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

Smart Home Technology:

• Amazon.com Inc. (Ring)
• Alphabet Inc. (Google Nest)
• Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Control4 Corp.

Smart Home Technology is disrupting the home automation industry by enabling the integration and control of home appliances and systems through a centralized platform, improving comfort, convenience, and security.

Advanced Manufacturing:

• GE Additive (General Electric)
• 3D Systems Corp.
• Stratasys Ltd.
• Materialise NV

Advanced Manufacturing is disrupting the manufacturing industry by providing new and innovative ways of designing, producing, and delivering products through the use of digital technologies such as 3D printing and computer-aided design.

1. Watches - Rolex, Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Phillipie are good starting points
2. Gold and Silver Coins/Bars
3. Land and Property
4. Cattle
5. Timber and Building Materials
6. Farm/Ranch(Highly recommended)
7. Physical Skills e.g Pottery, Masonry, Farming/Gardening, Plumbing, First Aid, Mechanic, Driving and Cooking among others
8. Cryptocurrencies and NFTs(Not recommended)

1. Bitcoin
2. Solana
3. Luna
4. Green Metaverse Token
5. Synthetix
6. Alpine
7. Lazio
8. Kusama
9. Apecoin
10. Ethereum
11. Filecoin
12. Veechain
13. Keep3r
14. Polygon
15. Green Life Energy
16. Basic Attention Token
17. Monero
18. Mines of Dalarnia
19. Project Galaxy
20. Decentraland
21. Verasity

NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE

Part 2 + short term coins coming soon.

To buy any of these cryptocurrencies I suggest you use Binance.

Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange that is currently the largest exchange in the world in terms of the daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies.

Register by visiting this link: Binance

Photo by Quantitatives on Unsplash

1. Bitcoin(BTC): As you know from a previous article, I hold some bitcoin. In 2022 I’ll be buying more with the goal of reaching 3 BTC in my portfolio.
2. Ethereum(ETH): Same as Bitcoin. The goal is to reach 10 ETH
3. Solana(SOL): Named the Ethereum killer. Lots of interesting projects are being developed using its blockchain.
4. Ripple(XRP)
5. Stellar
6. Decentraland(MANA)
7. Enjin Coin(ENJ)
8. The Sandbox(SAND)
9. Star Atlas(ATLAS)
10. Metaverse Index Token(MVI): This is not really a cryptocurrency but definitely worth checking out. It contains all/most of the metaverse tokens.
11. Polkadot(DOT): Has potential
12. Chainlink
13. Polygon(MATIC): A must-buy for me. Amazing projects built and more coming.
14. Pancake Swap(CAKE)
15. Uniswap
16. Illuvium
17. Moonriver
18. Loopring
19. Cardano(ADA): I have some and want more
20. Veechain
21. Shiba Inu(SHIB)
22. Dogecoin(DOGE)

Here’s a list of things/places you can invest in

1. Yourself - Learning new skills, blogging, and more can wield returns even on sick days.
2. Stocks - A no brainer, you buy 100 or more shares you wait for it to raise then sell or keep investing and wait for dividends. I recommend G-Kuze by Genghis Capital(if you are a Kenyan)
3. ETFs - I only know of one here in Kenya, and that is the NewGold ETF, where you buy a fraction of real gold being held in a secure vault then sell it when gold’s prices increase. It’s publicly traded in the stock market.
4. REITs - Real Estate Investment Trusts, can help you own real estate even if all you have is 100 shillings. There’s one in Kenya called Stanlib Fahari I-REIT, which currently trades in the stock market at 6.16. It’s also Kenya’s First REIT.
5. Unit Trusts - Like Money Market Funds, High Yield Funds, and more. Almost all major banks offer them. Not sure if they are regulated by the Capital Markets Authority. Stay away from Cytonn. I was once a cytonnaire until I could no longer withdraw my money.
6. Index Funds - Sadly none are in Kenya. Basically, it’s like a share and is even publicly trading in most stock markets. There’s usually an investment company behind it who then pools your money(stocks) and invests in other mixed items eg stocks, real estate, all at once then gives you dividends.
7. Forex - If mastered can yield many returns. You basically trade currencies. Buy when the currency is low, sell/exchange when it’s high. Start here:
8. International Stocks - If you can find a way to register and trade them that’s good.
9. T-Bills and Bonds - Loaning the government money. It’s good for the long term investor
10. Cryptocurrencies - Buy, hold, sell when prices increase. Start here: Binance or Coinbase
11. Companies - You can buy shares of a private company and hope for the best
12. Real Estate - Real Estate appreciates in value over time. Use that information to your advantage, remember it’s very hard for a house to appreciate in value as compared to actual land.
13. Children - High risk, Possible High Returns. Your own children can eventually become your greatest investment. Invest in them, guide them, teach them, discipline them and love them.
14. Precious Metals and Stones - This one is a no-brainer. Precious metals and stones appreciate in value especially gold and silicone. It’s used in electronics.
15. Animals - Long ago in African countries, animals(cows, goats, chicken) were used to measure one’s worth, wealth, and status. Those having more and healthier were considered wealthy. Animals offer us a lot, eggs, meat, milk, butter, and more.

Remember: Never put all your eggs in one basket!

1. Bitcoin(BTC)

2. Ethereum(ETH)

3. Dogecoin(DOGE)

4. TetherUS(USDT)

5. Ripple(XRP)

Go check them out, especially with Dogecoin. Implement the HODL technique. This drop and rise so don’t be afraid and only invest money you don’t mind losing.

To buy these I suggest you try Binance using this link, you’ll get 5%: Binance

See you next time. Stay safe!

Disclaimer: I am not a financial expert, down below is purely my opinion.

1. Money Market Funds ^{Low Risk}

A money market fund mainly invests in short-term debt securities with high credit quality such as treasury bills and commercial paper. This fund is ideal for the conservative low-risk investor who leans towards stability and security for capital invested. Interest is calculated on a daily basis, and credited to the client’s account net of costs.

For example Cytonn’s money market fund can go up to 11% depending with the market.

Currently there are more than 8 Money Market Funds in Kenya.

Here are the ones I know about.

1. Cytonn Money Market Fund
2. Icea Lion DigiTrust
3. Britam Money Market Fund
4. CIC Group Money Market Fund
5. GenCapHela Imara Money Market Fund
6. UAPOld Mutual Money Market Fund

2. Real Estate & Land ^{Moderate Risk}

Real Estate & Land is mainly the buying, selling or renting of real estate or land. Land and Real Estate are assets known to appreciate in value and one of the contributing factors to this, is that the world is running out of land and land prices keep increasing because of it’s demand. Real Estate on the other hand is important as well. Investing in this usually means you are buying a piece of land or housing then wait for it to appreciate in value and then sell or rent it. Many have devised a ploy where they rent land then rent it to other people and they deduct their profits while paying the rest to the official landlord.

Real Estate is a moderate risk high return investment, which means before attempting to invest in this. Lay aside an emergency fund as prices depreciate too. Take a look at this season we are in, it’s prime season for those looking for housing or land but not so good to the sellers.

I know of only 3 way of investing in land and that is through

1. Safaricom Investment Cooperative
2. Cytonn Real Estate
3. Stanlib Fahari - Stanlib Fahari I-REIT is Kenya’s first Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) providing investors with a steady income stream and capital growth. The fund invests at least 75% of its Total Asset Value (TAV) in real estate in strategic locations in Kenya. A maximum of 25% of its TAV is invested in cash investments and cash-like instruments.

3. Shares ^{Moderate Risk}

I talk about this here: How To Buy Your First Share

4. ETFs(Exchange Traded Fund) ^{Moderate Risk}

An exchange traded fund (ETF) is a type of security that involves a collection of securities—such as stocks—that often tracks an underlying index, although they can invest in any number of industry sectors or use various strategies. ETFs are in many ways similar to mutual funds; however, they are listed on exchanges and ETF shares trade throughout the day just like ordinary stock.

The only ETF I know is

1. Absa NewGold ETF - The Barclays/Absa NewGold ETF is an instrument that tracks the price of gold in line with the international markets. It is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and trades under the symbol GLD. Any local investor can purchase it through placing an order through their stockbroker.

   If an investor buys the security/share of the NewGold ETF he is effectively buying approximately 1/100th of an ounce of Gold which is held in a secure depository on behalf of investors and is backed by physical gold.

5. Cryptocurrencies ^{High Risk}

A cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) is a digital currency that can be used to buy goods and services, but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography to secure online transactions. Much of the interest in these unregulated currencies is to trade for profit, with speculators at times driving prices skyward.

Just recently they crypto market(all cryptocurrencies) surpassed 1.2 Trillion US Dollars, that’s 131,340,000,000,000.00 Kenyan Shillings. One Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency is at 5,103,850.51 Kenyan Shilling. So you can see the potential cryptocurrencies have. They are a great investment. But you have to be careful as this is a high risk investment, i mean very high risk. Bitcoin and the likes aren’t regulated, if for example hypothetically bitcoin was to disappear from the internet, so would you money. It’s a high risk high return investment.

Here is a list of some cryptocurrencies

1. Bitcoin at 5,103,850.51 Kenyan Shillings
2. Ethereum at 196,334.71 Kenyan Shillings
3. Litecoin at 20,720.36 Kenyan Shillings
4. Bitcoin Cash at 56,694.36 Kenyan Shillings
5. Monero at 16,504.40 Kenyan Shillings

6. Forex ^{High Risk}

Basically investing/trading in other currencies eg USD.

One way to do this is to register with FXPesa

That’s it for today I know I haven’t covered all of them so I’ll save the rest for another day.

Go check out my other post on how I started investing.

Have a great day everyone.

My name is Stephen and welcome to “How I Started Investing”.

My investment journey started with YouTube videos. Specifically Nabo Capital, Money Wise by Rina Hicks and Caroline Mutuko.

I just stumbled upon Nabo Capital’s Money Market video, I researched Money Market Funds and found Cytonn.

So my first investment was 400 bob. It was all I had that day, I downloaded their app, registered and deposited that.

After a few days I met a video by Rina Hicks which helped me further understand Investing.

I immediately put 400 in Bitcoin later that day and within a weeks time got 500. Out of excitement i withdrew, took out the 200 and reinvested 300 in Cytonn’s Money Market Fund. After a while, I invested 450 in bitcoin, sadly I was impatient(thinking i was going to lose my money) and withdrew after 3 weeks at 440, a ksh.10 loss.

Since then I have invested ksh. 2,000 in shares, 700 + on Cytonn Money Market Fund and 500 in Bitcoin.

My shares have a 9% profit but sometimes i get as low as -12% loss in a day, I am still holding on.

Got ksh. 4 + in my money market fund(after 3 weeks).

Got ksh. 79 + in Bitcoins.

My number 1 tip would be: Don’t rush, don’t be impatient, don’t fret when your investment goes into a loss, just hold on a little longer and I can assure you, you won’t regret it.

So that’s it, I suggest you check out there channels.

I personally use Cytonn for Money Market Fund(You can start with as little as ksh. 100), Genghis for shares(same as above, there are share going for as low as 1.23 and the minimum share amount is 100, so that’s ksh. 123.) and Local Bitcoins(where you can also buy for as low as ksh. 100)

Have a great day!