What investments should you purchase in 2025? The answer likely depends on who you ask.
For example, Warren Buffett recommends index funds, year in and year out. He does not believe in regularly changing up an investment strategy, and Buffett thinks it’s especially foolish to chase trends.
But not everyone agrees with the billionaire investor also known as the Oracle of Omaha.
Recently, the Journal of Financial Planning and the Financial Planning Association released the 2025 Trends in Investing Survey. The survey of 195 financial planners found that many are turning more often to alternative investments. The association says these planners are “seeking new avenues for growth and risk management.”
Here are the investments that saw the largest increase in terms of the percentage of planners who recommend them in 2025, compared with 2024.
1. Options
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 98.38%
Options are financial instruments that give the buyer the right to buy or sell the asset but not the obligation to do so. An options contract comes with an expiration date.
An option’s underlying securities — which can include stocks and bonds — determine its value. Investors typically use options to hedge or speculate. You can think of an option as basically a bet on the short-term price movements of bonds and stocks.
In 2025, 17.16% of planners are using and/or recommending options to clients. That’s up from 8.65% in 2024.
2. Individually traded REITs
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 55.23%
Real estate investment trusts — or REITs — are companies that own, manage or finance real estate that generates income for investors.
Typically, people who invest in REITs do so through a mutual fund. By contrast, individually traded REITs are sold outside of a mutual fund.
In 2025, 23.13% of planners are using and/or recommending these investments to clients, up from 14.9% in 2024.
3. Indexed annuities
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 55.23%
Indexed annuities are a type of insurance contract. When you purchase this type of annuity, you receive an interest rate that is tied to how a market index — such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index — performs.
In 2025, 31.34% of planners are using and/or recommending indexed annuities to clients. That’s up from 20.19% in 2024.
4. Private debt
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 55.20%
Private debt involves financing that takes place outside of the banking system. Investors sometimes turn to private debt to generate regular income or to preserve capital they already have.
In 2025, 19.4% of planners are using and/or recommending private debt to clients. That is up from 12.5% in 2024.
5. Hedge funds
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 55.20%
Hedge funds are actively managed investments that draw and pool money from investors, typically those who are wealthy. These are considered high-risk investments that offer the chance for big gains, but often come with large fees.
In 2025, 6.72% of planners are using and/or recommending hedge funds to clients, up from 4.33% in 2024.
6. Non-traded REITs
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 47.40%
Non-traded REITs are not listed on public exchanges. Investors often turn to them as a way to cut their tax bill.
In 2025, 14.18% of planners are using and/or recommending non-traded REITs to clients. That’s an increase from 9.62% in 2024.
7. Precious metals
Year-over-year increase in the share of financial planners using or recommending this investment: 46.71%
Precious metals are typically rare and valuable. Examples include gold, silver and platinum. Many investors turn to precious metals, particularly gold , as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.
This year, 12.69% of planners are using and/or recommending precious metals to clients. In 2024, that number was 8.65%
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