These 4 Passive Income Strategies Won’t Work in 2025, Here’s What Experts Say
Written by
J. Arky
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Amen Oyiboke
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Making enough money to survive usually requires long hours, attention to detail, and more than one job to make ends meet. Lots of people have side hustles or part-time gigs to help supplement their income, with many of those strategies set up to be passive income.
That is, wages earned via a source where you do not have to be constantly present or active. However, some methods of making money this way are out of date in the current economy.
Here are experts’ opinions on the four passive income strategies that won’t work in 2025.
Blogging For Ad Revenue
According to Aaron Nuti, a wealth advisor at Fairport Wealth, blogging for ad money has been a staple of passive income for many over the past decade, only in 2025, that is drastically shifting.
“With the rise of podcasts, short-form videos, social media platforms, and the advent of artificial intelligence, attention has been drawn away from traditional blogs,” said Nuti.
“Many people no longer scroll past the AI-generated answers generated at the top of search engines,” Nuti continued. “Combining these trends with declining ad rates and enhancements in ad-blocking technology, it has become more difficult than ever for a blog to generate passive income.”
Dropshipping
Dropshipping was once a source of passive income that was fairly reliable, mainly because it took minimal capital to start up and there was hardly any inventory to oversee.
“Things like Amazon stores, dropshipping, and affiliate marketing used to be easy ways to make passive income, but those days are pretty much over,” said Joe Camberato, the CEO of National Business Capital. “The market is oversaturated, and smaller sellers are struggling with supply chain issues. What used to be a simple way to get started has turned into a much tougher business.”
Bitcoin Mining
“In its heyday, bitcoin mining was seen as a potential strategy for passive income even for individuals,” recalled Nuti. “But times have changed.”
With Bitcoin nearing its 21-million-coin limit, Nuti described that the need for expensive equipment, and the recent increases in energy-related costs individual miners have been pushed out of the market.
“In 2025, it’s nearly impossible to profit as an individual mining operation without incurring significant ongoing costs,” added Nuti. “For many, bitcoin mining has become too cost prohibitive to be a passive income opportunity.”
Short Term Rentals
In Camberato’s opinion, Airbnb, Vrbo, and other short-term rental options are out for 2025.
“The boom has cooled off, and it’s a lot harder to find properties that actually turn a profit,” explained Camberato. “Home prices are high, interest rates are up, and the travel and remote work surge has leveled off. It’s not impossible, but it’s nowhere near as easy as it was a few years ago.”
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