🔥 Holding > Options? 😲 222% gains just by sitting tight on $TSM!
In a market obsessed with leverage and timing, sometimes… patience wins. Recently, retail traders spotlighted how simply holding $TSM from the October 2022 bottom netted over 220% — outpacing many of the short-term calls that expired worthless or underperformed. And this isn’t just about Taiwan Semi.
The same story’s played out with $NVDA, $BTC, and even $AAPL — names that rewarded those who stayed long, not just those who traded fast. Which begs the question: Have you ever seen stock gains crush option returns? 🚀
📈 Real Examples
Let’s take $NVIDIA(NVDA)$ . A five-year holder saw a 2,000%+ return (yes, really), while many short-dated calls got eaten alive by theta decay or missed the wave altogether. Even in crypto, holding $Btc Health Ltd(BTC.AU)$ from the 2020 lows would’ve been a ten-bagger — while trading perpetual futures cost many more in liquidation fees than profits. More recently, $Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing(TSM)$ ’s post-earnings surge caught many traders off-guard.
A well-timed LEAP option could’ve paid off, sure — but a basic stock position crushed it in pure return vs risk-adjusted terms. Why does this happen? Because options are a race against time. Unless your strike, expiry, and volatility timing are spot-on, even the right thesis can burn out. Meanwhile, the stock just keeps grinding higher… without a timer ticking down.
⏳ Magic of Time vs Leverage
Options promise asymmetric gains — but come with asymmetric risks too. One bad expiry and you’re down 100%. Stocks, on the other hand, let time compound in your favour. Dividends, DRIPs, earnings beats, macro shifts — they can all pile on over quarters and years. And with no theta to fight, you’re not rushed to “be right fast.”
Sure, options are cheaper upfront. And for nimble traders, they can be powerful. But long-term stock holders often walk away richer — especially if they ignore the noise and trust the trend. Ask yourself: are you more likely to hit a 5x with perfect option timing, or by backing a megatrend over 3–5 years?
💡 Personal Take & Call to Action
For me, the biggest winners weren’t quick trades — they were the slow burns: $AAPL from 2015, $MSFT since Nadella, or even $TSLA from the pre-split lows. No leverage. Just conviction and time.
💬 Magic of compounding or thrill of leverage — which do you trust more?
🚀 Got a stock story where time beat timing? Share your alpha below!
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