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For years, some of the most lucrative areas of the investing world were virtually off-limits to ordinary Americans.
But according to best-selling author and motivational speaker Tony Robbins, this long-standing divide may soon start to heal.
in a recent appearance iced coffee time During the podcast, Robbins pointed to a recently passed House bill that he said could open the door to an investment strategy once reserved for the country’s “very wealthy” people.
“Did you see what they passed in Congress two days ago? It’s really important,” Robbins said (1), referring to the Incentivizing New Enterprise and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation (INVEST) Act of 2025 that passed the House in December 2025 (2).
According to Robbins, one of the most important changes involves who can invest in private markets.
“It used to be there was a minimum net worth or a minimum income you had to have,” he said (1). “They just changed the rules… all you have to do is take the test.”
Under current securities laws, access to many private investments is limited to accredited investors—a designation that typically requires a net worth of at least $1 million (excluding primary residence) for an individual or an annual income in excess of $200,000, or an annual income of more than $300,000 for a couple(3).
These thresholds have historically restricted participation by institutions and high-net-worth families in private equity, venture capital, and other alternative investments.
The Investment Bill contains a provision called “Equal Opportunities for All Investors” that seeks to update this framework.
The bill would allow investors to qualify through an SEC-approved exam rather than solely through wealth or income, potentially expanding investment opportunities to millions of Americans.
Why does Robbins think entering private markets is so important? Long term returns.
“So far, let’s say you put your money into the S&P 500… so over the last 36 years it’s returned about 9.5% [annually] over time. If you save $1 million and wake up 36 years later, that’s $26 million,” he said (1).
“Private equity has compounded…Basic private equity, unlike the great ones, grew 15.5% – so almost 50% faster every year. What does that mean? It’s the same $1 million. It’s not worth $26 million, it’s $142 million.”
Robbins did not cite the source of these return figures, but some research suggests that private equity has outperformed the S&P 500 over the long term—despite being less liquid (4).
Ultimately, Robbins applauds the broader philosophy behind the change, arguing that allowing more Americans to invest in private companies will help level the playing field.
“If people really want to grow at the same rate as other very wealthy people, I’d rather focus on what they can take advantage of,” he said (1).
“Because rich people have things that are exclusive to them. Before you couldn’t participate in that – but that’s changing. I think that’s one of the good things Congress is doing.”
To be sure, nothing is set in stone yet.
The Investment Act still needs to be passed by the Senate, and it’s unclear when a vote will take place or whether lawmakers will approve the bill in its current form.
Still, Robbins emphasized a broader point that will resonate regardless of the final outcome of the bill: Public markets show only one aspect of how wealth is created. Many of today’s largest and most successful companies have been privately held for years, growing behind the scenes and creating incredible value before the IPO bell even rings.
Venture capital is an early bet on future giants. But for decades, venture capital has been one of the few areas of finance where retail investors have not had a seat at the table.
Fundrise finally broke out of that a few years ago, launching a venture capital product with two goals. One: Build a portfolio of the world’s most valuable private technology companies. Second: Make it available to as many people as possible, with investments starting from just $10.
Today, Fundrise manages billions of dollars in private markets assets, and its venture capital products are designed for investors who want early access to transformative technologies like artificial intelligence.
Check out their venture portfolio now and start investing in minutes.
Read more: Nearing retirement but no savings? Don’t panic, you’re not alone. Here are 6 easy ways you can catch up (and fast)
To explain his investment philosophy, Robbins recalled a conversation he once had with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund.
Robbins said he asked Dalio a simple question: What is the most important investing principle you can teach another person?
“Tony, you have to understand that all investments are risk-reward,” Dalio replied. “So the more you can reduce risk while getting upward returns, the better. But there’s only one way to do that consistently without pushing your luck.”
Dalio’s answer, Robbins said, is what he calls the “Holy Grail” of investing: diversification of truly uncorrelated assets.
“If you have eight to 12 uncorrelated investments … your risk is reduced by 80 percent and your returns are slowly increasing. You’re not losing any money,” Robbins recalled Dalio saying.
The idea resonated enough that Robbins eventually decided to write a book centered on the principle. However, he acknowledged that putting this into practice has become more challenging over time because “a lot of things in today’s market are consistent.”
Good news? Dalio went on to emphasize the importance of one specific diversified investment vehicle in building a resilient portfolio – one asset that remains prominent: gold.
“People generally don’t have a sufficient amount of gold in their portfolios,” he told CNBC last year. “Gold is a very effective diversifier when the economy is bad.”
Long viewed as the ultimate safe haven, gold is not tied to any single country, currency or economy. It cannot be printed out of thin air like fiat currency, and during times of economic turmoil or geopolitical uncertainty, investors tend to pile in, driving up its value.
Gold prices have soared more than 60% in the past 12 months.
One way to invest in gold that offers significant tax benefits is to open a gold IRA with help from Tol Metals.
A gold IRA allows investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets in a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold, making it an attractive option for those looking to hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainty.
To learn more, you can get a free information guide with details on how to get up to $20,000 in free metal with qualifying purchases.
Prominent investors like Dalio often stress the importance of diversification—and for good reason. Many traditional assets tend to move in tandem, especially during times of market stress.
This message is particularly important today. Nearly 40% of the S&P 500’s weight is concentrated in the top ten stocks, and the index’s CAPE ratio hasn’t been this high since the dot-com boom.
For many investors, this is where alternatives come into play. These include everything from real estate and precious metals to private equity and collectibles.
But there is one store of value that is often overlooked: it is scarce by design, coveted worldwide, and often blocked by institutions.
We’re talking about postwar and contemporary art – a category that has beaten the S&P 500 with lower correlation since 1995.
It’s easy to see why art often sets new highs at auction: The best art is in limited supply, and many of the most coveted pieces have already been snapped up by museums and collectors. This scarcity also makes art an attractive option for investors seeking long-term wealth diversification and preservation.
Until recently, buying art has been the exclusive domain of the ultra-rich—for example, in 2022, a group of artworks owned by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sold for $1.5 billion at Christie’s in New York, making it the most valuable collection in auction history(5).
Now, Masterworks — a platform for investing in blue-chip art stocks from famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy — can help you start investing in this asset class. It’s easy to use, and to date, Masterworks has had 25 successful exits and has distributed over $65 million in total proceeds (including principal).
Simply browse their impressive collection of paintings and select the share you would like to purchase. Masterworks handles all the details, making investing in high-end art convenient and easy.
The new products sell out in minutes, but you can skip their waitlist here .
Please note that past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risks. See Reg A disclosure at masterworks.com/cd.
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Iced Coffee Time (1); Congress (2); SEC (3); McKinsey & Company (4); Christie’s (5)
This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without any warranty of any kind.
