How to turn $20,000 into $650,000 in 5 years with ASX shares

Investments in Xero Limited (ASX:XRO) and these ASX shares five years ago would have made you very wealthy. Here's how wealthy…

| More on:
Happy young man and woman throwing dividend cash into air in front of orange background.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

I'm a big fan of buy and hold investing and believe it is the best way for investors to grow their wealth.

To demonstrate how successful it can be, I like to pick out a number of popular ASX shares to see how much a single $20,000 investment 10 years ago would be worth today.

However, on this occasion I'm going to do things a little differently and change the time scale to just five years. This allows me to look at companies that have not been listed as long as normal.

With that in mind, here's how you would have fared if you had invested in these ASX shares five years ago:

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

The Appen share price may be trading significantly lower than its 52-week high, but that won't be bothering longer term shareholders. Since this time in 2016, Appen's shares have thoroughly smashed the market. The catalyst for this has been increasing demand for the artificial intelligence data service company's services from some of the largest tech companies in the world. This includes the likes of Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft, and is being driven by the increasing importance of AI for businesses. Over the last five years, Appen's shares have generated a total return of 62.7% per annum. This would have turned a $20,000 investment into $230,000.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Thanks to the shift to online shopping, which has accelerated during the pandemic, this furniture and homewares focused ecommerce company has been growing its sales at an explosive rate. This has led to Temple & Webster's shares surging higher since their IPO in 2016. In fact, anyone lucky enough to have invested in its shares five years ago, would have generated an average total return of 101.5% per annum. This means that a $20,000 investment in its shares at that point would be now worth a staggering $665,000.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Finally, this cloud-based business and accounting platform provider has been a great place to invest over the last five years. Thanks to its strong recurring revenue, which has been underpinned by its rapidly growing customer base globally, Xero's shares have generated mouth-watering returns for investors. Since this time in 2016, its shares have provided a total return of 53.7% per annum. This would have turned a $20,000 investment into almost $172,000.

Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

Scott just revealed what he believes could be the 'five best ASX stocks' for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now...

See The 5 Stocks *Returns as of 30 April 2025

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Appen Ltd and Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on How to invest

A group of young ASX investors sitting around a laptop with an older lady standing behind them explaining how investing works.
How to invest

Why it's a stock picker's market and how to maximise your returns

It pays to be selective in 2025.

Read more »

Person handing out $100 notes, symbolising ex-dividend date.
How to invest

How $500 a month in ASX shares could make you wealthy

Investing consistently could be the key to becoming rich in the future. Here's how.

Read more »

A woman in hammock with headphones on enjoying life which symbolises passive income.
How to invest

A new age: What safe-haven investments look like in 2025

Looking beyond the traditional definition.

Read more »

Smiling woman with her head and arm on a desk holding $100 notes out, symbolising dividends.
How to invest

How to earn $1,000 a month in passive income from ASX shares

Want a wage from the share market? Here's how to do it.

Read more »

Male hands holding Australian dollar banknotes, symbolising dividends.
How to invest

How to build a $250,000 ASX share portfolio by 2035

Here's how you could potentially reach $250k from zero in just a decade.

Read more »

A businesswoman weighs up the stack of cash she receives, with the pile in one hand significantly more than the other hand.
How to invest

How I'd build a $20,000 annual passive income stream from these top ASX 200 shares

To earn $20,000 a year in passive income, I’d start with these three ASX 200 shares.

Read more »

a smiling picture of legendary US investment guru Warren Buffett.
How to invest

Life after Warren Buffett: other successful investors still in the game worth following

With Warren Buffett retiring it’s time to look at some other investors delivering solid returns.  

Read more »

An older woman gazes over the top of her glasses with a quizzical expression as if she is considering some information.
How to invest

How to build an ASX ETF portfolio to match your risk profile

Time for a portfolio review?

Read more »