What is a Risk-Free Investment? | FBS Blog (2024)

What is a Risk-Free Investment? | FBS Blog (1)

Every investor’s dream is when the investments bring great returns. However, sometimes life confronts investors with a choice: higher-risk investments with higher returns or risk-free investments with smaller returns.

The thing is, low-risk investments can be profitable well enough. Today we will explore how to make such low-risk investments and make them play in your favor.

What is a risk-free investment?

If we try to give it a definition, we would say that riskless investment is a type of investment when you know for sure what the return will be. For example, you buy securities and have great confidence in the issuer that it will do well in the nearest years.

But let's be honest: riskless investments are very unlikely to find. Reality is such that all investments come with some degree of risk because of uncertainty. Markets inevitably move, responding to the events in the world and economic and political decisions. Which, sometimes, are truly unpredictable. Also, something that no one expected could happen too, as it was with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, even if they exist, riskless investments are subject to inflation, which is another point to consider.

Understanding risks

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No worries! Instead of an entirely risk-free investment, you can choose low-risk investments and benefit more from them.

Risk is not something you should be afraid of. Remember that in trading and investing, you can manage risks. Potential negative outcomes may be minimized with the help of special tools. You just need to learn to use them. That is how you will be prepared for anything that comes.

Also, you need to know that it is up to you to decide how big the risk you take will be. You can analyze the asset that you plan to invest in or trade, assess the potential return, and think of a plan of action.

So, let’s switch from looking for risk-free assets or the best risk-free investments to something more realistic. Instead, concentrate on the best risk-to-reward ratio. And learn to manage risks.

How to make low-risk investments?

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First, you must always have a trading plan, take profit at the right time and keep a cool mind when making decisions. That is the basics. If we look deeper, we will find several great ways to limit risks. They may help protect your account from unexpected moves and eventually multiply your capital.

Risk management techniques

Risk management is important for every trader or investor who wants to be successful in the long run. First, you need to remember the 1% rule. It is when you open only those positions which are no more than 1% of your capital. That is how you will never be risking a great amount of your account.

Next is using the Stop Loss and Take Profit tools. If your trade or investment behaves not as you expected it to, your order will be closed to keep good profits or limit potential losses. To set Stop Loss and Take Profit correctly, you may use technical analysis. Do you wonder how it works? Have a look at the example of the strategy of short-term investments.

Diversification

Another great strategy for protecting your portfolio is diversification. As professional investors and traders say: never put all your eggs in one basket. Diversifying means choosing assets of various industries. For example, suppose you invest in stocks. In that case, you may choose not only US technology companies like Apple, Tesla, etc., but also energy companies, e-commerce companies, or anything you think is good to deal with.

Put an emphasis on variety, divide your money between various assets, and it will help you to keep up even if one or two sectors go down. And let the great returns be on your side!

Hedging

Last but not least way to reduce risk is hedging. It is when you buy an asset with the intention of reducing the risk created by another open position. If you are into higher-risk investments, hedging will help you to balance the potential gains and losses. Though it may add to the cost of investment, this strategy is helpful against major losses.

As you can see, there are many ways to make low-risk investments in the market. Choose yours and try them out.

Find your investing path with FBS

Whether you prefer higher-risk investments or look for risk-free investments, you came to the right place. With FBS broker, you can learn to trade, invest, and manage risks effectively. We offer free education, as well as many free webinars to teach the financial world essentials. Start trading with a trusted world broker!

What is a Risk-Free Investment? | FBS Blog (2024)

FAQs

What do you mean by risk-free investment? ›

Risk-free investments are considered to be reasonably certain to gain at the level predicted. Since this gain is essentially known, the rate of return is often much lower to reflect the lower amount of risk. The expected return and actual return are likely to be about the same.

What is the closest thing to a risk-free investment? ›

Treasuries are generally considered"risk-free" since the federal government guarantees them and has never (yet) defaulted. These government bonds are often best for investors seeking a safe haven for their money, particularly during volatile market periods. They offer high liquidity due to an active secondary market.

What is no risk investing? ›

All investments carry some risk, but some also offer insurance, making them virtually risk-free. Money market accounts, certificates of deposit, cash management accounts and high yield savings accounts all carry FDIC insurance.

What is an example of a risk-free rate investment? ›

The risk-free rate of return is the interest rate an investor can expect to earn on an investment that carries zero risk. In practice, the risk-free rate is commonly considered to be equal to the interest paid on a 10-year highly rated government Treasury note, generally the safest investment an investor can make.

What is the safest investment with the highest return? ›

Overview: Best low-risk investments in 2024
  1. High-yield savings accounts. ...
  2. Money market funds. ...
  3. Short-term certificates of deposit. ...
  4. Series I savings bonds. ...
  5. Treasury bills, notes, bonds and TIPS. ...
  6. Corporate bonds. ...
  7. Dividend-paying stocks. ...
  8. Preferred stocks.
Apr 1, 2024

What makes up a truly risk-free investment? ›

The interest rate on a three-month U.S. Treasury bill (T-bill) is often used as the risk-free rate for U.S.-based investors. The three-month U.S. Treasury bill is a useful proxy because the market considers there to be virtually no chance of the U.S. government defaulting on its obligations.

How to turn 10k into 100k? ›

Let's have a look at the best ways to turn your 10k into 100k:
  1. Invest in Real Estate. ...
  2. Invest in Cryptocurrency. ...
  3. Invest in The Stock Market. ...
  4. Start an E-Commerce Business. ...
  5. Open A High-Interest Savings Account. ...
  6. Invest in Small Enterprises. ...
  7. Try Peer-to-peer Lending. ...
  8. Start A Website Blog.
7 days ago

What is the safest asset to own? ›

Key Takeaways
  • Understanding risk, including the risks involved in investing in the major asset classes, is important research for any investor.
  • Generally, CDs, savings accounts, cash, U.S. Savings Bonds and U.S. Treasury bills are the safest options, but they also offer the least in terms of profits.

What is the safest investment of all time? ›

What are the safest types of investments? U.S. Treasury securities, money market mutual funds and high-yield savings accounts are considered by most experts to be the safest types of investments available.

What is the absolute best investment right now? ›

11 best investments right now
  • High-yield savings accounts.
  • Certificates of deposit (CDs)
  • Bonds.
  • Money market funds.
  • Mutual funds.
  • Index Funds.
  • Exchange-traded funds.
  • Stocks.
Mar 19, 2024

Where is the safest place to put your retirement money? ›

Plenty of safe places exist to put your money as a retiree. If you don't mind keeping it locked up for a specific time period, Treasuries and CDs are great ways to get a competitive return. Bond ETFs work well if you want to invest in a variety of bonds.

What is the best fixed income investment? ›

Best fixed-income investment vehicles
  • Bond funds. ...
  • Municipal bonds. ...
  • High-yield bonds. ...
  • Money market fund. ...
  • Preferred stock. ...
  • Corporate bonds. ...
  • Certificates of deposit. ...
  • Treasury securities.
Mar 31, 2024

What is the risk-free rate for dummies? ›

The risk-free rate is the rate of return on an investment that has a zero chance of loss. It means the investment is so safe that there is no risk associated with it. A perfect example would be U.S. Treasuries, which are backed by a guarantee from the U.S. government.

What is commonly used as the risk-free rate? ›

The risk-free rate is the rate of return of an investment with no risk of loss. Most often, either the current Treasury bill, or T-bill, rate or long-term government bond yield are used as the risk-free rate. T-bills are considered nearly free of default risk because they are fully backed by the U.S. government.

Is cash a risk-free investment? ›

The benefits and risks of cash

Cash is available when you need it and, unlike stocks, there's little risk to principal, especially since most savings and checking accounts, CDs and money market deposit accounts (MMDAs) are FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per depositor.

How to invest in risk-free? ›

Low Risk Investments
  1. Treasury Bills, Notes and Bonds. Risk level: Very low. ...
  2. Savings Bond. Risk level: Very low. ...
  3. Inflation Indexed Bonds. Risk level: Very low. ...
  4. Fixed Annuities. Risk level: Very low. ...
  5. High-Yield Savings Accounts. ...
  6. Certificates of Deposit (CDs) ...
  7. Money Market Mutual Funds. ...
  8. Investment-Grade Corporate Bonds.
Apr 4, 2024

Why is it called risk-free? ›

Risk-free, as the name implies, has 0% risk. All investments have risks; don't believe those people who will say that this asset or financial vehicle is risk-free. Stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, cryptocurrency, and even cash itself have their own risks.

What investment is 100% safe? ›

What are the safest types of investments? U.S. Treasury securities, money market mutual funds and high-yield savings accounts are considered by most experts to be the safest types of investments available.

What is an example of a risk-free bond? ›

A risk-free bond refers to a bond issued by an entity that's considered absolutely certain to pay back both its principal and interest, with no risk of default. Generally, bonds issued by governments of sovereign developed nations, such us U.S. Treasury bonds, are considered to be risk-free.

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