What if you invested a modest amount monthly in the Nasdaq 100 for 10 years?
Even a small monthly amount in a growth index over 10 years produces the same percentage result regardless of size, but you must endure the same large volatility.
Investment conditions
Asset · Nasdaq 100 (QQQ)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2016-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $148 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-29.8%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
0months
Months in loss: 0
Recovery period
5months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $17,926 → Final value $55,222 (+208.1%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -29.8%
Why this period and asset
The decade from July 2016 to July 2026 saw the Nasdaq 100 rise broadly on tech and growth strength, while containing the 2018 correction, the 2020 pandemic crash, and a large 2022 correction. Contributing a modest monthly amount over this span, at a scale accessible even to early-career investors, would have meant experiencing both the growth index's rise and its sharp swings. It is a case of the path a small growth-stock contribution plan traces.
Interpreting the result
Whether the contribution is small or larger, percentage results such as return and drawdown are identical regardless of size. That said, the Nasdaq 100's heavy growth weighting gave it a larger maximum drawdown than a broad index, with a clear underwater period and recovery period, as in 2022. A small amount makes the absolute loss smaller, but in percentage terms you endure the same volatility. Consistent contributions do keep buying at lower prices during declines, but that does not make the drawdown disappear.
Caveats & limits
This is a simplified simulation that ignores taxes, trading fees, and currency effects, and it depends on one specific 10-year window. A growth index can have a larger drawdown than the broad market, so it requires readiness to endure the underwater period. As a dollar asset, the felt gain or loss shifts with the exchange rate, and past performance does not guarantee future results. No method is recommended.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Adjusted close (reflects dividends and stock splits)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe because a small amount means a small loss?
The absolute loss is smaller, but percentage results such as return and drawdown are identical regardless of size. Even a small amount endures the same volatility.
Does raising the amount change the result?
The total invested grows, but the percentage result is the same. Changing the amount leaves the ratios of maximum drawdown, underwater period, and recovery period unchanged.
How does the Nasdaq 100 differ from a broad index?
The Nasdaq 100's heavier tech and growth weighting gave it a larger maximum drawdown than a broad index. You should account for the fact that rises are sharp but declines can be deep.
Related scenarios
📋 Results are based on historical data; past returns do not guarantee future returns.
📋 This service is provided for educational purposes to help you understand investing, not as investment advice.