With wages growth having flat-lined in Australia over the last decade, amid runaway house prices, twenty-somethings (Gen Zs), desperate to get ahead financially, can be forgiven for asking their baby-boomer parents – often accused of having the best of everything – one overarching question:
‘When investment markets resemble glorified Ponzi schemes, will we ever become financially independent like you and how do we do it?’
Any explanation that begins with, ‘well, you’ve got to pay your dues, life is earnest’ is immediately shut down.
Gen Z investors want tactical solutions they can apply now, not preachy old-school rhetoric or history lessons from those they accuse of walking derrière-backwards into wealth that’s no longer within [everyone’s] reach.
All or nothing
Sadly, the Reddit brigade," specifically through the r/WallStreetBets (WSB) community, created a false impression of easy wealth by transforming high-risk speculation into a viral, communal, and gamified experience.
This movement, most evident during the 2021 GameStop short squeeze, used a unique blend of meme-driven humour, coordinated collective action, and non-conformist narratives to encourage inexperienced retail investors to put all their savings into volatile "meme stocks".
Underpinning the appetite of Gen Zs to take these sorts of ‘all-or-nothing’ risks here in Australia [and elsewhere] is a feeling of helplessness; with many writing off home ownership – the foundation of future financial wellbeing – as an Antediluvian dream.
While the expressway to financial riches isn’t necessarily the best way, Gen Z has a high appetite for non-conventional means to achieve their financial aspirations, which typically carry a greater amount of risk.
Some investment options to consider
With that in mind, Azzet went in search of investment opportunities that allow Gen Z to move ahead financially, but without taking a ‘put-it-all-on-red’ approach that risks you kissing goodbye to the rent money.
Within the first of a three-part series, we look at finding penny-hopeful stocks and an array of low-cost equity and fixed income ETFs.
Firstly, here’s one overarching caveat: While time-honoured principles around investing still have value – around saving more than you spend, the value of compounding returns over time and diversification – we’re focussed here on tactical solutions you can roll out starting today.
While any one of these strategies could be worth considering, having a few on the go simultaneously could be better than putting all your eggs into one single basket, especially if you want to build wealth over time.
You can also turbocharge these investments by remembering to reinvest dividends rather than take them as cash.
A) Find the next 10-bagger stock
One of the tenets of investing is that the price you pay for any asset is a primary determinant of your future capital gain.
With that in mind, it’s possible to make strong bets on penny hopefuls with the potential to become 10-baggers over time.
You can buy as many shares as you can afford now, and add to them over time as finances permit.
While some investors like to buy more stock on the dips – when they’re trading lower – others use what’s called dollar cost averaging (DCA), which amortises the average entry over a longer period.
What we’re talking about is stocks with the scalability and blue-sky potential to increase 10 times in value (a 1,000% return or 10x ROI) from their original purchase price.
The best time to get a ground-floor entry into these stocks is when they're new to the market – e.g., at IPO – or when they’ve been heavily sold off.
Identifying future ten-baggers typically involves focusing on high-growth sectors like biotechnology, critical minerals, and disruptive technology, where companies are often in pre-revenue stages or early-scale phases.
Already there
Several companies on the ASX have achieved "ten-bagger" status over varying timeframes, including:
- Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME): Often cited as one of the best-performing ASX shares over the last decade, it has delivered returns exceeding 13,000%. In early 2025, it traded near all-time highs of $298, up from just $26 in 2020.
- Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS): A leader in the lithium sector, this stock gained a staggering 35,330% between 2013 and 2023.
- Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR): Another lithium standout, it recorded gains of 18,040% over a ten-year period ending in late 2023.
- Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX): This radiopharmaceutical company achieved ten-bagger status in roughly five years, with returns exceeding 1,700% by mid-2025.
- Supply Network Ltd (ASX: SNL): A more recent addition to the club, it rose 1,058% between May 2020 and May 2025, reaching a 52-week high of $40.35 from a base of $3.45.
Well on their way
As of February 2026, the following five ASX stocks are currently identified by analysts as having significant multi-bagger potential based on recent performance, strategic catalysts, or industry dominance:
- 4DMedical (ASX: 4DX): This healthcare technology company has recently delivered a 675.8% one-year return as of early 2026. It is considered a high-conviction growth pick due to its proprietary lung-imaging technology.
- DroneShield (ASX: DRO): A leader in counter-drone technology, DroneShield has seen a 324.2% return over the past year, driven by increasing global defence spending. It is frequently cited as a "poster child" for modern ASX growth.
- EchoIQ (ASX: EIQ): An artificial intelligence company focused on cardiovascular diagnostics, EchoIQ's share price rose by 142.86% in the six months leading up to early 2026 following clinical validation milestones.
- Sun Silver (ASX: SS1): Listed in mid-2024, this silver explorer has already been designated a "ten-bagger" by some analysts due to its rapid ascent from IPO price, supported by its status as the largest primary silver deposit on the ASX.
- Dateline Resources (ASX: DTR): A critical minerals explorer that surged in 2025 following high-level endorsements of its US-based Colosseum Mine. It recorded an exceptional 338-times low-to-high return during that period.
B) High-growth Exchange Traded funds (ETFs)
The beauty of ETFs is you can get low-cost access to the quality stocks listed on a local or offshore index, without having to be a stock picker.
Buy as many units as you can and add to them over time as opportunities present themselves.
As of February 2026, finding high-growth Australian equity ETFs with a share price under $10 is challenging, as many prominent growth-focused funds like BetaShares ATEC ($20.52) or Global X ACDC ($146.75) trade well above this threshold.
However, you can access high-growth domestic strategies through specific lower-priced active ETFs or by utilising fractional investing platforms.
Below are three Australian-listed high-growth Australian equity ETFs under $10
- Australian Ethical High Conviction ETF (ASX: AEAE): Currently priced at $9.73, this active ETF focuses on a concentrated portfolio of 20 to 35 high-growth Australian companies that meet strict ethical criteria.
- Antipodes Global SMID Active ETF (ASX: MIDS): Trading at $9.57, this fund targets "Small to Mid-cap" (SMID) companies. While it has a global mandate, it is a common vehicle for Australian investors seeking the higher growth potential typically found in smaller companies.
- Airlie Australian Share ETF (ASX: AASF): Priced at $3.85, this active fund seeks long-term capital growth by investing in a concentrated portfolio of Australian equities, blending growth potential with a focus on financial resilience.
ETFs linked to high-growth Asian equity markets
With Asian equities currently outperforming their global counterparts, you can tap into this upside through ETFs that target these markets.
While the MSCI Korea is the world’s best performing share market index – 33% year to date – MSCI Thailand and the Nikkei 225 / MSCI Japan are up 19% and 12% over the same period.
Over the past year, the Nikkei and Taiwan’s market are up around 40%, while Korea’s KOPI has more than doubled over the same period.
Then there’s Shanghai, which is up over 21%, while smaller Asian counterparts like Vietnam have put on more than 40%.
With that in mind, Azzet went in search of ETFs with exposure to Korean, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese stocks through a combination of single-country funds and broad-based Asian index trackers.
While most major Asian-focused ETFs on the ASX trade significantly above the $10 mark, here are four we came up with:
- Vanguard FTSE Asia ex Japan Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAE): Seeks to track the return of the FTSE Asia Pacific ex Japan, Australia and New Zealand Index (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars, before taking into account fees, expenses and tax.
- iShares Asia 50 ETF (ASX: IAA): Seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of 50 of the largest Asian equities.
- iShares MSCI Japan ETF (ASX: IJP): Aims to provide investors with the performance of the MSCI Japan Index, before fees and expenses. The index is designed to measure the performance of Japanese large & mid-capitalisation companies.
- Betashares Japan ETF-Currency Hedged (ASX: HJPN): Aims to track the performance of an index (before fees and expenses) that provides diversified exposure to the largest globally competitive Japanese companies, hedged into Australian dollars.
C) Higher fixed interest via ETFs
With the Reserve Bank (RBA) expected to increase the cash rate twice in 2026, now could be a good time see what ASX-listed fixed interest ETFs have to offer.
For 2026, several ASX-listed fixed interest ETFs continue to offer attractive yields across different sectors, including corporate bonds, floating rate notes, and government securities. Yields for these defensive assets have remained compelling as investors seek reliable income streams.
Here’s a look at some top fixed interest ASX ETFs by yield.
- BetaShares Australian Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (CRED)
- Yield: Offers a yield to maturity of approximately 5.73% (as at February 2026).
- Details: This fund provides exposure to a portfolio of senior, fixed-rate, investment-grade corporate bonds. It pays distributions monthly, making it a popular choice for regular income.
- VanEck Australian Subordinated Debt ETF (SUBD)
- Yield: Features a running yield of 5.46% and a yield to maturity of 6.21% (as at early 2026).
- Details: SUBD invests in subordinated floating rate bonds issued by financial institutions, which typically offer higher yields than senior debt due to their higher risk profile.
- BetaShares Australian Government Bond ETF (AGVT)
- Yield: Provides a yield to maturity of 5.02% (as at 20 February 2026).
- Details: AGVT focuses on longer-duration Australian government bonds (7–12 years maturity). While highly secure, its longer duration makes it more sensitive to interest rate changes. Distributions are paid monthly.
- VanEck Australian Floating Rate ETF (FLOT)
- Yield: Offers a running yield of 4.57% (as at February 2026).
- Details: FLOT tracks an index of Australian floating rate notes. Because the interest rate "floats" above a benchmark (BBSW), this ETF is designed to provide stable income with low sensitivity to rising interest rates.
- Vanguard Australian Corporate Fixed Interest Index ETF (VACF)
- Yield: Reports an income return (yield) of 4.27% over the past year (as at 31 January 2026).
- Details: This fund provides diversified exposure to investment-grade corporate bonds from major Australian and offshore banks, property trusts, and other lending institutions.
