‘Dirty little secret’: Rand Paul revealed how the rich got even richer through US inflation — here's how to piggyback off their tactics

“The workers are for us because their wealth is being eroded, their dollar’s being eroded …,” he said in an interview with Fox Business, referencing auto workers on the assembly line.

Contrastingly, the wealthy experience a vastly different outcome.

Paul noted that “the very wealthy have gotten wealthier,” calling it “the dirty little secret of inflation.”

He isn't alone in noticing this trend. In January, the non-profit Oxfam reported that the world’s billionaires have become $3.3 trillion wealthier than they were in 2020, with their wealth increasing three times faster than that of inflation.

The reality is that billionaires have been able to grow their wealth faster than the pace of inflation through a combination of assets and strategic investments.

Here’s a look at some notable examples.

Equities

Billionaires strategically utilize stocks and equities as a key component of their investment portfolios. For some of the most famous billionaires, a substantial portion of their wealth is linked to the companies they founded or currently manage.

The Oxfam report highlighted how large firms were making oversized profits during inflationary times, noting, “148 of the world’s biggest corporations together raked in $1.8 trillion in total net profits in the year to June 2023, a 52% jump compared to average net profits in 2018-2021.”

Oxfam also observed that share ownership “overwhelmingly benefits the richest,” with the top 1% owning 43% of all global financial assets.

But you don’t have to be in the billionaires’ club to access the stock market.

Interactive Brokers allows you to buy and sell stocks without any commission fees or minimum investment requirements], making it easier than ever to grow your wealth alongside the world’s financial elite.

Notably, IBKR Lite simplifies investing with unlimited free trades of U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and the ability to buy fractional shares, effectively flattening the learning curve for new investors.

Real estate

Real estate is a well-known hedge against inflation. As the price of raw materials and labor increases, new properties are more expensive to build, driving up the price of existing real estate.

The median sales price for houses sold in the U.S. was $420,800 in the first quarter of 2024. While this is down approximately 3.5% from the previous quarter, it still represents a 23% increase from 2020.

Well-chosen properties can provide more than just price appreciation. Investors also get to earn a steady stream of rental income.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price NSA Index has surged 49% over the last five years.

Of course, that also means properties are costly, especially with elevated mortgage rates. But these days, you don’t need to buy a house to start investing in real estate.

Fundrise gives everyday investors the chance to get into the real estate game with their unique eREITS. Unlike traditional publicly-traded REITs, Fundrise eREITS are available exclusively through their platform.

Each eREIT has a focused investment strategy and holds a range of real estate assets chosen for their income-generating potential, including residential and commercial properties or real estate loans. Low minimum investments make it easy to diversify your portfolio with real estate.

For accredited investors who feel a tad more ambitious, there’s also First National Realty Partners, a platform that enables individual investors to invest in institutional-quality, grocery-anchored commercial real estate.