6 Stocks That Turned $1,000 Initial Investments Into Millions by Mid-2025
Written by
John Schmoll
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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It seems unlikely, but a well-timed investment of just $1,000 can make anyone a millionaire. Certainly not every investment will turn to gold, but for investors seeking opportunities in initial public offerings (IPOs), such as Nvidia and Apple, some have turned that relatively small investment into millions over the years.
Not every IPO is successful. Only 46% of U.S.-based IPOs manage positive first-day returns, according to Ernst & Young. Investing in stocks is already risky, but investing in IPOs carries additional risk.
Recent IPOs have typically bottomed out soon after launch in recent years, according to Charles Schwab. However, a quick glance at the performance of select IPOs in recent memory reveals stocks that have exploded in value for early shareholders who employed a buy-and-hold approach to the holdings.
A recent study from the trading platform Taurex it revealed that several $1,000 initial investments have turned into millions by mid-2025. Each of the IPOs comes from the tech sector.
“Over 5,000 publicly traded companies exist on major U.S. exchanges, yet only a select few have delivered the huge returns that transform modest investments into generational wealth,” said Taurex.
The platform reviewed major equities and crypto by identifying the IPO price, current value and all corporate actions to identify what a beginning $1,000 investment would turn into by mid-2025.
These are the six stocks that turned a $1,000 investment at IPO into millions.
Nvidia
- Year of IPO: 1999
- First day price: $0.44
- Price in August 2025: $144.69
- $1,000 investment value: $$15,784,364
Amazon
- Year of IPO: 1997
- First day price: $6.70
- Price in August 2025: $216.10
- $1,000 investment value: $7,740,896
Apple
- Year of IPO: 1980
- First day price: $7.42
- Price in August 2025: $198.42
- $1,000 investment value: $5,990,038
Microsoft
- Year of IPO: 1986
- First day price: $31.10
- Price in August 2025: $479.14
- $1,000 investment value: $4,437,052
Tesla
- Year of IPO: 2010
- First day price: $1.71
- Price in August 2025: $329.13
- $1,000 investment value: $2,887,105
Netflix
- Year of IPO: 2002
- First day price: $7.02
- Price in August 2025: $1,225.35
- $1,000 investment value: $2,443,718
Far behind Netflix is Adobe. An initial $1,000 investment at IPO in Adobe would be $717,649 currently. Adobe would need to experience a 39% spike in stock price by the end of 2026 for early investors to hit $1 million. Subsequent equities in the study would have to increase substantially more.
“The data reveals how patient capital in transformative technology companies can generate life-changing returns. Important to note that these weren’t speculative investments. They were stakes in companies that fundamentally changed how we live and work,” said Connor Woods, senior expert market analyst from Taurex. “The study shows that identifying companies at the intersection of innovation, then holding through volatility, can be a path to extraordinary returns even with small investments.”
Finding a pearl is possible when investing in an IPO. Due diligence and patience are essential to identifying possibilities that can reap rewards.
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