For thousands of years, gold has been money. Kings hoarded it, wars were fought over it, and until 1971 the U.S. dollar itself was backed by gold.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, is only 16 years old. Yet in 2025, it is seriously challenging gold as the world’s store of value.

If you want to grow your money but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. This guide explains the six main types of assets that ordinary people like you and me invest in: real estate, gold, stocks, ETFs, bonds and Bitcoin. You’ll learn what they are, why they have value, how risky they are and how you can buy them, without needing a financial advisor or expensive middlemen. This is for you if you’re completely new to investing and want to feel confident about taking that first step.