Purchase art as an investment
It’s easy to see why great works of art tend to appreciate in value — especially during times of inflation. Supply is limited, and many famous pieces have already been snatched up by museums and collectors.
In 2022, shortly after inflation reached a 40-year high, the art collection of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for a total of $1.5 billion at Christie’s New York, making it the most valuable private collection of all time.
Investing in art was traditionally a privilege reserved for the ultra-wealthy.
Now, that’s changed with Masterworks – a platform for investing in shares of blue-chip artwork by renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Banksy. It's easy to use, and with 23 successful exits to date, every one of them has been profitable thus far.
Simply browse their impressive $1 billion portfolio of paintings and choose how many shares you’d like to buy. Masterworks will handle all the details, making high-end art investments both accessible and effortless.
Masterworks has already sold roughly $45 million worth of art, distributing the net proceeds to everyday investors. New offerings have sold out in minutes, but you can skip their waitlist here.
How it works
Step 1: Accredited investors need to visit Masterworks.com, where they’ll be prompted to enter a few details about their portfolio and investment goals.
Step 2: Investors can schedule a call with one of Masterworks Advisers — registered investment representatives — to determine which current art holdings match their investment goals. The benefit is that you can select one or many art pieces, buying fractional shares based on your interests and goals.
Step 3: As soon as Masterworks sells a piece you invested in, you get a return from the net proceeds. While every artwork performs differently, overall, the past three exits — where Masterworks has acquired, held and eventually sold the artwork — delivered median returns of 17.6%, 17.8%, and 21.5%.
See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd
Store your wealth in precious metals
Gold is another popular hedge against inflation.
The reason is straightforward: the yellow metal can’t be printed in unlimited quantities by central banks like fiat money. And because its value isn’t tied to any one currency or economy, gold could provide protection during periods of economic uncertainty. When inflation erodes the purchasing power of fiat currencies, gold's appeal as a stable store of value often grows, driving up demand.
Gold prices reached an all-time high of $2,790.07 in October 2024 and currently sits around $2,900 per ounce as of mid-February 2025.
Opting for a gold IRA gives you the opportunity to hedge against market volatility by allowing you to invest directly in physical precious metals rather than stocks and bonds.
If you’d like to convert an existing IRA into a gold IRA, companies typically offer 100% free rollover. Others might offer free gold, silver or other metals up to a certain amount when you make a qualifying purchase.
You can check out our top picks for industry-leading companies offering gold IRAs.
Compare offers instantly and request a free information guide to help you understand how to diversify your portfolio and secure your retirement fund.
Invest in real estate to hedge against inflation
When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land.
At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts for inflation.
This combination makes real estate an attractive option for preserving and growing wealth during periods of escalating price levels.
Over the last five years, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index has surged by more than 50%.
You can also invest in real estate by purchasing rental properties and becoming a landlord. Alternatively, crowdfunding platforms like Homeshares allows accredited investors to gain direct exposure to hundreds of owner-occupied homes in top U.S. cities through their U.S. Home Equity Fund — without the headaches of buying, owning, or managing property.
The fund focuses on homes with substantial equity, utilizing Home Equity Agreements (HEAs) to help homeowners access liquidity without incurring debt or additional interest payments. This approach provides an effective, hands-off way to invest in high-quality residential properties, along with the added advantage of diversification across various regional markets – all with a minimum investment of $25,000.
With risk-adjusted internal returns ranging from 12% to 18%, the U.S. Home Equity Fund offers accredited investors a low-maintenance alternative to traditional property ownership.
