Lately I've been thinking, why do so many people always think that investing is only something to consider when you have hundreds of thousands? Actually, this idea is already outdated. Looking at current prices, mortgage rates stable at 2.2%, the purchasing power of every dollar is being diluted. If you don't start acting now, you'll only become busier and poorer.

I've noticed that many office workers around me can actually save up 100k yuan, but they just don't know what to do with this 100k. Actually, this isn't a small amount; it can be your weapon against inflation. The key is that you need to first think clearly about three things: the correct mindset, suitable projects, and enough time.

Let's start with mindset. The first rule of investing is to only use idle money—that is, funds that won't affect your daily life. Many people get stuck here, not managing their cash flow like a company, so when their investment targets drop, they can only sell in regret. So bookkeeping is very important; you need to first set aside stable "free cash flow," which is the foundation of your confidence in investing.

Next is finding projects that suit you. Stable-income small investors are suitable for dividend funds or high-yield ETFs, which can generate steady cash flow without constantly monitoring the market. For example, high-dividend ETFs like 0056, which has paid dividends for the past 10 years with a 60% payout, and the stock price has increased by 40%. If you invest 100k each year, after 13 years, you could have an annual dividend of 100k, and after 25 years, your monthly income might reach around 40k, making life more comfortable.

But if your income is good and your main job is busy, tracking the overall market index with ETFs might be more suitable. The US SPY tracks the top 500 companies, with a return of 116% over the past 10 years, averaging about 8% annually. As long as you believe the US economy won't collapse, this is the most stable long-term tool.

If you have time to research the market, you can consider more aggressive strategies. For example, as US interest rate hikes are approaching their peak, future rate cuts are inevitable. The dollar supply will increase, so shorting the dollar has a high probability of success. Also, the stock market periodically has hot topics, like AI concept stocks, which are great examples. For those with time to research, using turnover rate to exchange for return can quickly accumulate principal.

Regarding assets worth investing in, I categorize them into four roles. Defensive assets like gold have no dividends; their returns rely solely on price differences, but they are excellent hedges during economic instability. Transformational assets like Bitcoin are no longer purely speculative tools; they are included in ETFs, sovereign funds, and corporate balance sheets, shifting roles into digital reserve assets. The current price is about $76.68k.

Growth assets like NVIDIA and TSMC represent the future core infrastructure. NVIDIA is a leader in AI computing, TSMC is a semiconductor foundry leader; both symbolize the future's fundamental backbone. There's also NextEra Energy, the largest green energy company in the US. With AI energy demand surging over the next decade, investing in power and grid infrastructure is more stable than just solar energy.

Cornerstone assets are those that won't let you fall behind in the world, like US stock market ETFs. As long as AI truly enhances overall productivity, these assets will steadily reflect the results.

In short, starting to invest with 100k yuan doesn't require special conditions. A few thousand can be used for regular fixed investments, or you can participate in major market movements through contracts for difference. As long as you have good investment thinking, choose projects suitable for you, and give enough time for compound interest to work, becoming a small millionaire is just around the corner. The key lies in patience and execution; none of these require huge principal. 100k yuan is truly enough.