Gary Ashworth is Chairman of Albany Beck
Most people treat the New Year like a fresh start. They set new goals, promise new habits and new financial resolutions that usually collapse before the Easter Bunny arrives.
Clever investors do something different. They use year-end to measure their compounding progress compared to the beginning of the year. How much has their starting stake increased by?
As an irritating man once told me: “It’s easy to be successful in business; you just have to predict the future and be right!” Easier said than done. So, how can we take advantage of the world in which we live in 2026?
After four decades building businesses and investment portfolios, here are ten moves I believe we should pay attention to this year.
1. Factor Tax Rates Into Every Investment Decision
In an international world, smart investors add the tax rate into the investment calculation before they invest. The difference between a 0% jurisdiction and a 24% Capital Gains Tax regime isn’t trivial – it’s the difference between £100 million and £34 million after ten successful doublings. Many investors are quietly leaving unfavourable jurisdictions. The question isn’t whether you should consider tax-efficient structures, it’s why you haven’t already.
2. Unstable Markets Present Extraordinary Opportunities
Uncertainty creates fear. Fear creates sellers and sellers create bargains. In 2026, geopolitical tensions and monetary policy confusion are creating volatility, which is perfect. The investors who build generational wealth don’t run from volatility – they keep their powder dry specifically for these moments.
3. Watch the Flight to Precious Metals – Then Watch It Reverse
Gold and silver have surged as investors flee uncertainty. But what goes up often sharply corrects just as quickly. The smart play isn’t chasing gold at all-time highs. It’s understanding the cycle and positioning for the reversal. When capital flows back into growth assets, those who timed the exit profit twice.
4. Crypto’s 50% Drop – Disaster or Opportunity?
Crypto has fallen by half from its peak. For some, that’s terrifying. For others, it’s a potential buying opportunity. The question is: can you predict which way it goes from here? This requires research, not hope. Study adoption rates, regulatory trends, institutional positioning. If your research is good enough, the returns could be exceptional. If it’s not, stay away.
5. AI Is Your Secret Weapon – If You Use It Properly
Never before has technology allowed individuals to predict trends with sophistication previously reserved for hedge funds. AI can analyse property trends, business sentiment, country growth rates – if you’re clever enough to ask the right questions. Use AI to compress weeks of research into hours. The cunning use of AI can be your unfair advantage.
6. Focus on Doubling, Not Incremental Growth
You only need to double £100,000 ten times to reach £100 million. At three years per cycle, that’s thirty years. But most investors think in increments – They want to do a bit better this year than they did last year. Doubling thinking forces different decisions: different strategies, and different risk profiles.
7. Don’t Over-Leverage in Uncertain Times
The sweet spot is 66% borrowed, 33% equity. That ratio gives you enough buffer if markets wobble, but amplifies returns when they don’t. Calculate your actual leverage across all holdings. In 2026’s uncertain environment, stress-test everything.
8. Keep Your Powder Dry
Are you holding 20-30% in cash or liquid assets? You should be. Markets will correct – they usually do. The wealth builders aren’t fully deployed when everyone’s confident. They’re the ones with capital ready when opportunities appear.
9. Sell Before Management Fatigue Sets In
Which businesses or properties have you been running for 5+ years? Be honest – are you still adding value or just going through the motions? Tired operators make sloppy decisions. I prefer to build something, improve it, sell after three to five years, then do it again. You stay fresh and you crystallise gains rather than watching equity evaporate because you became complacent.
10. Calculate Your Real Net Worth – Honestly
Not what you hope it’s worth. What you could actually sell everything for tomorrow. Most entrepreneurs are shocked when they run this exercise truthfully. That business generating £500k revenue – what’s someone actually willing to pay for it? Strip away the delusion and work from reality.
The Reality
These moves aren’t complicated. They’re systematic. They work.
Most investors will enter 2026 with fuzzy goals, incremental thinking, and no tax planning. They’ll ignore market opportunities because uncertainty feels uncomfortable.
You don’t have to be most investors.
Ten good decisions. Doubling your stake every three years. That’s the game.
Gary Ashworth is Chairman of Albany Beck and author of “Double Up Money Mastery” and the Dumm.org community. He splits his time between London and Dubai, where he helps investors apply systematic wealth-building strategies to regional opportunities.
