– BusinessToday

Every January comes with a familiar set of resolutions — exercise more, eat healthier, work harder. “Save more money” usually makes the list as well, but it is also one of the first promises to fade as the year progresses. As 2026 begins, Sumit Gupta, co-founder of CoinDCX, believes it is time to rethink how individuals approach their finances and move from a narrow focus on saving to a broader goal of long-term wealth creation.

According to Gupta, the problem with most financial resolutions is that they are built around restriction rather than structure. “The year 2026 calls for a different resolution. Instead of focusing on restriction, focus on allocation,” he said. Investing in oneself, he explained, has two equally important sides — enjoying the present through travel, experiences and lifestyle choices, while also securing the future. “One should not come at the cost of the other,” he added.

Gupta stressed that many people confuse income with wealth. While income supports day-to-day living, it does not automatically guarantee long-term freedom. “Income fuels your current lifestyle, but only wealth can secure your future freedom,” he said. Wealth, he argued, is not created by earning more alone, but by consistently allocating income towards investments over long periods of time.

Start early, not big

One of the biggest misconceptions around investing, Gupta said, is the belief that you need to earn a lot before you can begin. “You do not,” he noted. The best time to start building wealth is with your first stipend, first salary or first freelance payment. The advantage is not the size of the investment, but the time it gets to compound.

“A small SIP started at 22 will beat a much larger one started at 35,” Gupta said, underlining the power of compounding. Financial discipline, in his view, has little to do with predicting market highs and lows. “It is not about timing markets. It is about staying in the game long enough for time to do the heavy lifting,” he added.

Three rules that remain constant

Despite changing markets and the emergence of new asset classes, Gupta believes three principles of personal finance never change.

First is the need for an emergency fund. Every investor should maintain a safety buffer, typically covering six to twelve months of expenses, parked in low-risk and liquid instruments. This buffer prevents investors from being forced to sell long-term investments during emergencies.

Second is building a long-term corpus. Money meant for retirement, financial independence or children’s education must be invested rather than parked idle. “This is the money that works for you over decades,” Gupta said.

Third is diversification. “Concentration creates stories. Diversification creates survival,” he remarked. Spreading investments across asset classes reduces the risk of one adverse cycle undoing years of disciplined effort.

Navigating new investment options

Gupta pointed out that today’s investors operate in a very different environment compared to previous generations. Beyond fixed deposits and real estate, options now include equity mutual funds, gold ETFs, international stocks, REITs, global index funds and newer digital assets. While this widens opportunity, it also increases the risk of confusion.

“Every asset class goes through cycles of hype,” Gupta said, adding that promises of high returns are often loudest just before risks emerge. Discipline, he emphasised, matters more than optimism. Investors should do their own research, use regulated platforms and seek certified advisers when required. “Most importantly, invest only in what you understand,” he said.

A practical resolution for 2026

Gupta believes financial maturity lies in balance—spending on what genuinely improves life today, while saving and investing so the future is not dependent on the next salary. For 2026, his advice is simple: do not try to predict markets or find the perfect stock. Instead, commit to consistency.

“Set aside a fixed part of your income. Automate it. Invest it across asset classes. Review it once or twice a year,” he said, before adding, “Then get back to living your life.”

Wealth, Gupta concluded, is rarely built in one exceptional year. “It is built by showing up, quietly and repeatedly, over many ordinary years.”