Three Growth Stocks Worth Considering With $500 to Invest

If you’re looking to deploy $500 into equities that show meaningful long-term potential, the market offers compelling choices beyond traditional index funds. Rather than chasing the broader market rally, consider focusing on companies that are still in their expansion phases and have substantial room to capture market share. Three names that stand out for their distinct growth trajectories are Dutch Bros, SoFi Technologies, and MercadoLibre — each representing a different stage of business maturation and market penetration.

Dutch Bros — Scaling From 1,000 to 7,000 Stores

Dutch Bros operates in a fragmented coffee market where consolidation and expansion remain significant drivers of value creation. The company currently operates just over 1,000 locations across the United States, and has publicly outlined plans to reach 7,000 stores over time. This sevenfold expansion target suggests management sees substantial whitespace in the market for its brand.

The company’s operational metrics are noteworthy. Same-store sales growth reached 5.7% year-over-year in the recent quarter, indicating strong underlying demand at existing locations. Beyond traditional traffic, Dutch Bros has been innovating its revenue streams through a mobile ordering platform integrated with its membership program, which should drive higher customer frequency and data capture capabilities.

With a concept that continues to evolve its beverage and food offerings while maintaining unit-level economics that support expansion, Dutch Bros represents a play on both comparable store growth and significant fleet expansion.

SoFi Technologies — Banking Platform Attracting Record Customer Momentum

SoFi has emerged as a disruptor in digital banking by offering customers a consolidated, user-friendly platform that combines lending, deposits, and trading capabilities. What distinguishes the company is its ability to scale customer acquisition at an accelerating pace — the third quarter saw 905,000 new customer additions, representing a new company record.

The financial performance underscores this expansion. Adjusted net revenue surged 38% year-over-year, while earnings per share improved markedly from $0.05 in the prior year to $0.11 in the recent period. This combination of rapid customer growth coupled with operating leverage suggests the business model is resonating with users seeking lower-fee, higher-yield alternatives to traditional banking.

SoFi’s product roadmap further supports its trajectory. The platform already offers stock and cryptocurrency trading alongside traditional banking products. An anticipated feature — blockchain-based global remittances — should unlock new revenue streams by addressing international money transfer demand. As deposits continue to accumulate, the company aims to eventually rank among the top 10 largest U.S. banks.

MercadoLibre — Capturing Untapped E-Commerce Markets in Latin America

MercadoLibre operates as the dominant e-commerce platform across Latin America, a region where digital commerce penetration remains substantially below developed markets. This structural underpenertration creates a runway for decades of growth as more consumers and merchants transition to online channels.

The company’s financial scaling is striking. Total revenue grew 49% year-over-year (on a currency-neutral basis), driven by a 35% increase in gross merchandise volume and a 54% increase in payment volume. These growth rates are not anomalies but rather consistent patterns reflecting expanding market adoption. The fintech segment within MercadoLibre also contributes meaningfully, as customers increasingly utilize payment and lending services on the platform.

Profitability accompanies growth — the company maintains an operating margin of 9.8%, demonstrating that expansion need not come at the expense of returns. While a $500 investment would yield only a fractional share at current valuations, establishing a position captures the upside as the company continues to develop its markets and strengthen its value proposition across the Latin American e-commerce and fintech landscape.

Why These Three Represent Different Paths to Returns

Each company embodies a distinct investment thesis. Dutch Bros offers geographic and unit expansion within a developed market. SoFi provides exposure to digital disruption within a mature but fragmented industry. MercadoLibre captures emerging market e-commerce penetration at an earlier stage. Collectively, they illustrate that even with $500, investors can access meaningful growth opportunities across developed and emerging markets, if they focus on companies demonstrating operational execution, market tailwinds, and realistic paths to scale.