Choosing whether to invest today in the short or long term depends on several personal variables such as
- risk appetite;
- the objective of the investment;
- the time horizon.
A short-term investment offers greater flexibility and more immediate access to money. A long-term one is more challenging but at the same time more profitable. How then to make the right choice, what criteria to follow and above all what are the main products to choose?
What to invest in today in the short term
Short-term investments are the ideal option for those who don’t want to set aside their money for long periods. With this type of investment you do not obtain great returns but you have the possibility of preserving your capital and having the possibility of using it more quickly if necessary.
Among the main short-term investments are:
- postal vouchers;
- deposit accounts;
- the Bots;
- ETFs;
- the Cct.
Postal vouchers for 4 years
Short-term postal vouchers are among the safest short-term investments because they are guaranteed by the Italian State.
Among these, the best is the Premium postal savings bond which lasts 4 years and offers a yield of 2.50%. However, you can only subscribe if you have a Smart passbook, an ordinary passbook or if you have a BancoPosta current account and you bring in new liquidity by 29 December 2025 through:
- bank transfers;
- crediting of pension or salary;
- bank check or bank draft.
Deposit accounts after 6 months or a year
Deposit accounts are another choice to evaluate because they offer a return that is often higher than that of a current account. Furthermore, because the constraints have a variable duration. Among the best to choose at the moment there are:
- the ING bank deposit account which after 6 months offers a gross annual rate of 4%;
- the Premium restricted account from Illimity bank which offers 3% after 60 months.
Bots
Today you can also invest in the short term in Bots which are government bonds whose duration ranges from 3 to 12 months. The November and December 2025 auction dates are as follows:
- November 12;
- November 26;
- December 10;
- December 29th.
ETF
ETFs or exchange trade funds are also ideal investments for short periods.
They are passively managed funds that replicate the performance of an index or a specific category of assets such as bonds, raw materials or shares, thus giving small savers the opportunity to diversify their portfolio easily.
Among the main advantages of these products is the low management cost which almost never exceeds 0.5% per year compared to the average of around 2% for actively managed funds.
They are also highly liquid so they can be bought or sold on the markets at any time.
Cct
Another option for investing money for the short term are CCTs or variable rate bonds that last 7 years.
These securities pay interest every 6 months through coupons whose amount is updated based on the performance of the six-month BOTs increased by a spread established at issue. Precisely because of this characteristic, savers can obtain faster and more visible returns.
What to invest in in the long term
Long-term investments are those that last more than five years and give you the opportunity to grow your savings over time. Among the best known are:
- postal savings bonds;
- BTPs;
- deposit accounts;
- the actions
- They;
- the brick;
- pension funds.
3×4 postal savings bonds
3×4 postal savings bonds are among the best long-term investments. These products last 12 years and offer the following interest rates:
- 1% after 3 years;
- 1.50% after 6 years;
- 2.25% after 9 years;
- 3% after 12 years.
High maturity BTPs
Then there are long-term BTPs which can be purchased either upon issue through an auction called by the Mef or at a later time on the secondary market through banks or intermediaries. To purchase them online through home banking you need to have a securities account or an administered deposit.
Some long maturity issues are as follows:
- BtpTf 3.85% St49 Eur (ISIN IT0005363111) – maturity 1 September 20249, semi-annual coupon;
- Btp Tf 2.45% St50 Eur (ISIN IT0005398406) – maturity 1 September 2050;
- Btp Tf 2.15% Mz72 Eur (ISIN IT0005441883) – maturity 1 March 2072.
Deposit accounts: returns up to 10 years
Deposit accounts are also one of the safest long-term investments as they are protected by the Fitd up to 100 thousand euros per depositor. One of the best to choose at the moment is Si Sistema bank account as it offers the following gross annual return:
- 2% after 3 months;
- 2.05% after 6 months;
- 2.10% after 9 months;
- 2.35% after 12 months;
- 2.40% after 18 months;
- 2.45% after 24 months;
- 2.50% after 30 months;
- 2.55% after 36 months;
- 2.65% after 42 months;
- 2.70% after 48 months;
- 2.75% after 54 months;
- 2.90% after 60 months;
- 3.70% after 120 months.
Gold
Among long-term investments there is also gold which has always been considered a safe haven asset. Recent quotes show that the price is currently around 110 euros per gram. This high level reflects:
- low confidence in the markets;
- expansionary monetary policies;
- financial instability.
If you want to preserve value, gold may be a right choice but you must consider that:
- it has a limited return because it generates neither coupons nor rents so if the price does not change no profit will be obtained;
- despite being a safe haven asset, the price can fluctuate;
- if you buy physically you need to think about storage, insurance and any costs.
Brick
Brick is also one of the long-term investments. The real estate market showed signs of recovery in 2025 with volumes growing by more than 50% in the first half compared to the same period in 2024.
The rental yields, for example of a two-room apartment of approximately 65 m2, increased by 4.8% compared to a year ago according to the analysis ofTecnocasa Research Office end of 2024.
In the ranking of the metropolises, then, it can be seen that the greatest rent increases were recorded in Genoa of 7.6%, in Palermo of 7.2% and in Verona of 6.7%. These data show that an investment in the real estate market can therefore guarantee a stable income over time.
It is especially convenient for those who have money to immobilize for 5 or 10 years as it is not easily liquidated and want to diversify their portfolio by focusing on a real asset.
Pension funds
Finally, among the best long-term investments are pension funds because they offer:
- tax advantages as payments are deductible up to 5,164.57 euros per year;
- the possibility of exploiting the compound capitalization if the temporal interest exceeds 5 years so as to make the investment better;
- a social security objective and a supplement to the public pension.
Who is better off investing today in the short term and who is better off in the long term
In light of what has been said, short-term investment is therefore suitable for those who:
- does not have to face any expenses within 1-2 years;
- he is not inclined to risk and wants to always have access to his assets.
The advantage is obviously greater security and low volatility as well as the possibility of having the money quickly. The disadvantage, however, is the low return and the impossibility of your money growing over time.
Long-term investments such as pension funds and EFTs are suitable for those who:
- wants to invest their money for at least 5-10 years;
- accept market fluctuations in exchange for higher earnings over time.
