Introduction: Why 2026 Feels Different
2026 doesn’t feel like a “normal” investing year.
Interest rates are no longer zero.
Inflation has calmed but prices never went back down.
Jobs feel less secure even when unemployment is low.
Markets feel expensive — yet staying in cash feels worse.
As a normal working adult in Singapore — not a hedge fund manager, not a crypto trader, not a finance influencer — the real question is simple:
“If I had $52,000 today, how do I invest it so I don’t regret it 10 years later?”
This blog series is my honest answer.
No leverage.
No options.
No timing the market.
Just three non-related asset classes that work together, not against each other.
Why Only 3 Asset Classes?
Most people fail at investing not because they lack intelligence, but because they overcomplicate.
Too many funds
Too many strategies
Too many opinions
Ray Dalio talks about uncorrelated assets, but for most people, 3 is already enough.
The goal is:
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One asset that grows
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One asset that protects
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One asset that stabilises
The 3 Non-Related Asset Classes I Use
For 2026, my 3 asset classes are:
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Global Equities (Growth Engine)
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Bonds / Fixed Income (Shock Absorber)
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Gold (Insurance Asset)
These three behave differently when:
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Markets crash
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Inflation rises
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Interest rates change
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Recessions hit
You don’t need to predict the future if your assets respond differently to it.
Asset Class #1: Global Equities (The Growth Engine)
Let’s be clear:
If you don’t own equities, you will lose purchasing power over time.
Equities represent:
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Businesses
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Innovation
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Productivity
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Human progress
In 2026, I’m not trying to guess the next NVIDIA or Tesla. I want broad exposure.
Why global, not just US or Singapore?
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No country stays dominant forever
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Currency risk is real
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Growth shifts over decades
This is boring, and that’s exactly why it works.
Asset Class #2: Bonds (The Emotional Stabiliser)
Most people hate bonds until the year they need them.
Bonds do three important things:
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Reduce portfolio volatility
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Provide income
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Act as dry powder during crashes
In 2026, bonds finally make sense again because yields are no longer zero.
This asset is not about returns, it’s about not panicking.
Asset Class #3: Gold (The Insurance Nobody Wants Until They Need It)
Gold doesn’t produce income.
Gold doesn’t grow earnings.
Gold doesn’t innovate.
Gold protects you from:
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Currency debasement
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Systemic shocks
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Policy mistakes
You don’t buy insurance hoping your house burns down.
You buy it so you can sleep at night.
My Mental Model for $52,000
Before allocating, I ask myself:
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Can I survive a 40% market drop?
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Will I panic-sell?
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Can I continue working and investing?
If the answer is “no”, the portfolio is wrong.
Part 1 Summary
In 2026, investing isn’t about being clever.
It’s about being durable.
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