The new year is almost here, and investors are excited about the market's prospects in 2026. After three years of double-digit percentage gains, can the S&P 500 still notch another win? It's unusual, but it wouldn't be the first time.
Since no one knows what will happen or when, keep investing. Make sure you're well-diversified with safe stocks, and find excellent growth stocks that can soar this year or bounce back long term if the market crashes or corrects. SoFi Technologies (SOFI +1.84%) and Nu Holdings (NU +1.57%) are my two top growth stocks to buy right now.
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1. SoFi: The one-stop shop
SoFi is a U.S.-based digital bank that represents the future of the industry. There are several ways it stands out, but it touts its one-stop shop approach to financial services as its differentiating factor. It's aiming to offer everything a customer needs, from credit cards and bank accounts to investing tools and insurance plans, on its easy-to-use app. This creates an ecosystem of products that keeps users engaged and leads to high lifetime value.
But SoFi stands out in other important ways. It consistently rolls out new, innovative services that offer real value for its user base. It recently reintroduced cryptocurrency trading straight on its app, and it's using the blockchain to enable easy, cheap global remittances. It just announced the launch of SoFiUSD, a fully reserved stablecoin.
NASDAQ: SOFI
Key Data Points
Another way it differentiates from other banks is its strong lending segment. SoFi was originally a lending co-op, and lending is still its largest segment. That gives it greater exposure to interest rate changes, but it also provides it with a stable and reliable revenue stream. Now that interest rates are on their way down, the lending business is booming again. Originations rose 57% year over year in the third quarter to a record $9.9 billion, and lending revenue increased 25% over last year.
SoFi's major growth driver, though, is the financial services segment. This is where the innovative products are being launched and where the one-stop shop is happening. Financial services revenue increased 76% year over year in the third quarter, and contribution profit rose 126%.
SoFi stock is up almost 75% in 2025, and it trades at a price-to-earning (P/E) ratio of 48. Although that's not objectively cheap, SoFi stock is well worth that price considering its future potential.
2. Nu: Huge expansion options
Nu is doing something very similar to SoFi, but it's headquartered in Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. It's demonstrating high growth, and it has huge expansion opportunities.
Like SoFi, it's an all-digital bank, and it offers a wide assortment of services on its app. It was originally created to service lower-income consumers, as a low-fee alternative in an region where there are high barriers to entry in financial management. However, its ease of use and digital interface have attracted customers from all socio-economic strata.
NYSE: NU
Key Data Points
In the third quarter, it added 4.3 million customers for a total of 127 million. Of those, 110 million are in Brazil, where it's still growing at a healthy pace, although it already has 60% of the adult population on the platform. It reached 13 million customers in Mexico, 14% of the adult population, and almost 4 million in Colombia. These are regions where it still has huge growth opportunities.
Management has implied that it will open up in newer regions, and it's also making many moves to keep growth robust in its existing regions, including getting a bank charter in Mexico. It has also applied for a bank charter in Brazil and the U.S., where it's exploring its options. In other words, it has tons of long-term growth drivers that should keep revenue increasing for years. It's also highly profitable, even though it's investing in all of its new ventures.
Nu stock is up 60% this year, and it trades at the attractive P/E ratio of 32. It should reward long-term investors over many years.
