5 Best Passive Income Streams To Start in 2026, According to a Wealth Coach
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
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Brendan McGinley
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Building multiple income streams is a smart way to boost your financial security — especially when at least one of them is passive. Passive income often requires some upfront effort, but once it’s set up, it can generate ongoing earnings with minimal maintenance.
To help you find the best passive income opportunities for 2026, GOBankingRates spoke with Halle Eavelyn, a wealth coach and author of “The Passive Income Power Plan.” Here are her top five picks for building passive income in the year ahead.
Invest in Crypto for Long-Term Passive Gains
Eavelyn’s top pick for passive income creation in 2026 is to invest in crypto.
“Buying crypto is like picking up Amazon stock back when everyone thought online shopping was a fad,” she said. “I invested the first year Amazon went public, and it tanked 95% before taking over the world. That’s where crypto coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum are right now.”
Eavelyn recommends making small recurring investments to see big gains.
“Use PayPal or Cash App, buy 20 bucks’ worth and set it on repeat,” she said. “Future you is writing you a thank-you note already.”
Monetize Your Stories With Digital Content Creation
If you’re social media-savvy and are a good storyteller, you can monetize these skills.
“If you’ve ever turned a trip to the grocery store into a life lesson, congratulations — you’re sitting on a digital gold mine,” Eavelyn said. “In 2026, you can spin that into e-books, journals or micro-courses without breaking the bank.”
She recommends taking a Canva class or learning how to skillfully cut videos on your iPhone.
“There are multiple ways to monetize content these days, and you can use YouTube or AI to learn the step-by-step,” Eavelyn said. “Whether you want to become a grandfluencer (yes, that’s a thing!) or teach people how to refinish furniture, your methods are your stories.”
Sell Custom Products Without Holding Inventory
Another passive income idea is to create custom merchandise via print-on-demand.
“AI tools mean anyone can whip up a funny T-shirt or a sassy coffee mug and have it shipped straight to someone’s door,” Eavelyn said. “The beauty is that you never touch inventory. In 2026, people love buying niche, personal stuff — so make five designs on Canva, upload to Printful or Redbubble, and let TikTok do its thing.”
Earn Royalties by Self-Publishing on Amazon
“The publishing industry can take up to two years to go to print and keeps a lot of its doors closed; meanwhile, self-publishers are cashing checks,” Eavelyn said. “2026 is prime time for journals, planners and even ‘low-content’ books like coloring books. You don’t need to be Hemingway — just organized.”
If you do have writing skills, consider writing in a genre that sells well.
“Specialized fiction — like young adult or queer horror — and self-help are strong sellers,” Eavelyn said.
You can easily create a book or journal in Canva, upload it to Kindle Direct Publishing and start earning money right away.
Make Money Sharing Products You Already Use
If you have a social media following, you can monetize it through affiliate marketing.
“Here’s the truth: people don’t trust ads, but they do trust you,” Eavelyn said. “Social apps are basically shopping malls now, and affiliate links could be your commission slip.”
She recommends sharing the stuff you already use — books, skincare, gadgets — and linking to product pages through the affiliate marketing platform of your choice.
“Start with Amazon or ShareASale, tuck links into posts or even your email signature, and watch it snowball,” Eavelyn said. “You can literally get paid to tell all your online friends what you love.”
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