A 10-year-old Chinese girl from Langfang city in Hebei province has taken an unusual investment step for her age. Three years ago, she decided to use the money she receives during the Lunar New Year to buy gold instead of keeping it as cash. The girl's decision was driven by a fear that her parents would spend the money, so she chose to convert it into gold savings, which she sees as safer and easier to preserve.
Since starting this practice in 2023, the girl has continued to invest her annual "lucky money" in gold, benefiting from the traditional Chinese custom where adults give money to children or unmarried individuals, regardless of their age, in red envelopes during the Spring Festival. These envelopes, known as "lai see" in Cantonese and "hongbao" in Mandarin, symbolize wishes for good luck and health in the new year.
According to her mother, Bai, the girl receives about 4,000 yuan (approximately $580) annually. When she first bought gold three years ago, the price per gram was around 460 yuan ($66), but by February of this year, it had risen to about 1,100 yuan per gram—more than double the initial price. Gold prices in China saw a historic 60% increase last year, followed by an additional 30% rise in the first month of the current year.
Despite this upward trend, markets experienced a sharp 9% drop on January 30, the largest single-day decline since 1983. This sudden plunge prompted many Chinese citizens to flock to gold stores, either to seize buying opportunities or to cash in on previous investments.
So far, the girl has managed to buy about 30 grams of gold, her mother reported, noting that her daughter has not sold any of her holdings and plans to continue buying whenever possible. On social media, the girl's story has sparked widespread discussion, with users nicknaming her "the genius," "the lucky investor," and "the time-traveling girl," referencing the impeccable timing of her investment decisions. Some followers even jokingly asked her mother about the next investment move her daughter might make.
The mother admitted that her daughter seems more skilled in investing than she is and expressed regret for not buying gold when prices were much lower. In the comments, one user wrote, "I see a successful businesswoman in this girl's future," while another called buying gold with children's "lucky money" a smart move, reminding many of how their parents spent their own childhood "lucky money."