New Delhi, Oct. 22 -- Investing across asset classes can produce vastly different outcomes, depending on market conditions, economic trends and the timing of entry. While some investments offer the potential for higher returns, others provide relative stability and diversification during uncertain times.

Let's see how stocks, gold and cryptocurrencies have performed over the past five years.

Bitcoin emerged as the best-performing asset among the four investment options considered, delivering a 183% gain between October 2021 and October 2026. Gold followed with a 131% return, while India's Nifty 50 index delivered a comparatively modest return of 26% over the same period.

Bitcoin rose from approximately $29,000 in October 2021 to around...