10 Best Performing Alternatives to Crypto Since 2020

Cryptocurrency · Investment Research

10 Best Performing Alternatives to Crypto Since 2020 – Defense Stocks Among the Biggest Winners

New research from online trading platform Taurex finds Google, gold, and defense stocks like BAE Systems and RTX have all outpaced crypto since 2020.

Investorideas.com (www.investorideas.com) a trusted go-to platform for big investing ideas, including crypto and defense stocks issues market commentary from online trading platform Taurex.

With crypto markets falling and millions of retail investors looking for somewhere safer to put their money, this new study by online trading platform Taurex reveals the top 10 investment alternatives to cryptocurrency.

• Google stock now trades at $342, gaining 291% since 2020 and outperforming every other traditional asset on the market.
• At $4,442 per ounce, gold is up 151% over the past six years, beating the returns of many popular stocks.
• Defence stocks are among the biggest winners since 2020, with BAE Systems, RTX, and Kratos all more than doubling in value.

The research tracked price performance across popular investment options between the end of 2020 and 2026. Asset categories included major US and UK stocks, gold, and Dubai real estate. For each investment, the study recorded the adjusted closing price at year-end from 2020 through August 12, 2026. The percentage gain between the 2020 starting price and the 2026 figure was used to rank which assets grew the most over the six-year stretch.

Here’s a look at the top 10 best-performing investment alternatives to crypto since 2020:

You can access the complete research findings here.

1. Google

• Price in 2020: $87.63
• Price in 2026: $342.37
• % change: +291%

Google is the best-performing investment of the past six years, with shares growing nearly 291% since 2020. Anyone who put $10K into the stock at the start of that period would be sitting on roughly $39K today. The company remained a major player in digital advertising, and when AI search started becoming a serious topic in 2023 and 2024, Google’s numbers got a second wind. By August 2026, the stock had more than tripled in price.

2. BAE Systems

BAE Systems comes in second with a 238% gain, rising from $673 to over $2,277 per share. The UK defence giant became one of the most-watched stocks on both sides of the Atlantic as military budgets expanded rapidly after 2022. BAE was at the centre of that spending as a supplier of everything from fighter jets to naval systems. The stock more than tripled, and long-term shareholders who bought in at the start of this period captured most of that upswing.

3. Gold

Gold takes third place with a 151% gain over six years, going from $1,770 per ounce in 2020 to $4,442 by August 2026. The metal is usually treated as a slow, boring hedge against inflation, but this period showed it can actually outperform most stock picks when the macro environment gets unstable. So for investors who kept some in their portfolio without touching it, the result was a return that beat Apple, Microsoft, and several defence stocks.

4. Apple

Apple ranks fourth, with shares climbing from $130 to $302, a gain of 132% over the six years. The company didn’t need a breakout product category to deliver those returns; it just kept compounding. The stock did go through a rough patch in 2022 like most of the market, dropping back toward its 2020 starting price, but it gradually recovered. By mid-2026, someone who held Apple without selling through the volatility had more than doubled their money.

5. Microsoft

Microsoft rounds out the top five with the share price moving from $216 to $492. The company spent most of this period expanding its cloud business while most attention was on flashier AI plays. Azure revenues kept climbing each quarter, and when Microsoft made its big OpenAI moves in 2023, the market took notice. The stock didn’t have Google’s runway, but it rewarded patient holders with a 128% gain over the full six-year stretch.

A market analyst from Taurex commented on the findings:

“Defence stocks weren’t exactly exciting in 2020, as most people thought the big tech names would dominate everything. But between rising military budgets in Europe, tensions in Asia, and a general shift toward spending on security, companies like BAE and RTX ended up delivering returns that many investors weren’t positioned to capture. And when everyone thought that the cycle could be coming to an end, the Iran war happened, and it pushed the prices even further.”

About Investorideas.com & Contact Info

https://www.investorideas.com/About/

Investorideas.com is a trusted platform for retail investors, serving as a hub for innovative investing ideas for over 25 years. Known for its pioneering coverage of sectors like mining, cleantech, defense, and water stocks, the company and its executives have been featured in high-profile media outlets for its expertise. Investorideas.com is always at the forefront of investment trends, offering coverage of diverse industries such as AI, mining, and tech. With a mission to empower investors, the company provides breaking news, sector-focused articles, podcasts, and exclusive interviews with leading experts. In addition, its award-winning branded content, AI-driven short videos, and podcasts highlight key investing insights and feature prominent industry leaders.

Why partner with Investor Ideas?

Discover our powerful news, PR, social media, and podcast solutions at Investorideas.com

https://www.investorideas.com/Investors/Services.asp

Digital advertising and guest posts

https://www.investorideas.com/Advertise/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Investorideas

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Investorideas

https://www.investorideas.com/Re

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published/created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer and disclosure info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp

Advertisement
Crypto StocksDefense Stocks

Disclaimer / Disclosure: InvestorIdeas.com is a digital publisher of financial content and is not a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer. This article is informational and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security; some content may be sponsored or compensated. See our full disclaimer.

Source: www.investorideas.com