You've probably heard the rumors. People claim they’ve made billions in Los Santos without breaking a sweat, turning Michael, Franklin, and Trevor into the kind of elite moguls that would make Devin Weston weep. It’s not a myth. It’s also not about grinding boring store robberies or finding hidden packages. The real money—the "buy every property in the game and still have $2 billion left over" money—lives and dies with assassination stocks GTA 5.
Most players mess this up. They see a hit from Lester, they do it immediately, and they move on with their lives. Big mistake.
If you want to actually own the city, you have to treat these missions like a high-stakes hedge fund. Honestly, it’s kinda hilarious how easy it is once you understand the timing. You’re basically committing insider trading at the end of a sniper rifle.
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The "Big Score" Rule You Can't Ignore
Here is the absolute, non-negotiable truth: if you do these missions early, you are throwing money away.
Lester’s assassinations are hard-coded market manipulations. They provide a guaranteed percentage return on whatever money you have in your pocket. If you have $10,000, a 50% return is a joke. If you have $30 million from the final heist, that same 50% return is life-changing.
Wait until the story is finished.
The only one you have to do to progress is the Hotel Assassination. For every other hit, let them sit on your map until the credits roll. Once the Union Depository gold is split and your bank accounts are fat, then you strike.
1. The Hotel Assassination (The Forced Start)
Since you have to do this one to move the plot along, you won't have the "Big Score" money yet. That’s fine. Just put every cent Michael, Trevor, and Franklin have into Betta Pharmaceuticals (BET) on the BAWSAQ exchange before you start.
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The Play:
- Pre-Mission: Buy BET (BAWSAQ).
- Post-Mission: Wait about 24 in-game hours.
- The Sell: Look for roughly a 21% to 50% return. It varies depending on your platform and luck, but once it starts to dip, sell everything.
There’s a "double dip" here too. After selling BET, the rival company, Bilkington (BIL) on the LCN, will be at rock bottom. Buy it. Wait about a week in-game (keep sleeping to advance time). It eventually rebounds, sometimes giving you an 80% to 100% boost.
2. The Multi-Target Assassination (The Cigarette Swap)
This is where the real wealth begins. You’re taking out four corrupt jurors to help Debonaire.
The Strategy:
- Pre-Mission: Invest every single dollar from all three characters into Debonaire (DEB) on the LCN.
- Post-Mission: Go to a safe house and sleep to advance time. The stock usually peaks around 80% profit.
- The Rebound: As soon as you sell Debonaire, immediately dump all that cash into Redwood (RWC) on the LCN.
Redwood is going to be in the gutter because you just murdered their legal defense. But wait. In about 48 to 72 in-game hours, Redwood will skyrocket back up. We’re talking a 300% return. This is the single biggest jump in the game.
3. The Vice Assassination (The Fruit Play)
You’re hitting a guy who’s essentially a corporate spy. The beneficiary? Fruit.
The Flow:
- Pre-Mission: Buy Fruit (FRT) on the BAWSAQ.
- Post-Mission: Sleep a few times. You’re looking for a 50% return.
- The Hidden Step: Some people forget about Facade (FAC). After you sell Fruit, Facade is usually at its lowest point. If you buy it then and wait a few days, it’ll rebound for about a 30% gain. It’s not as flashy as Redwood, but when you're playing with millions, 30% is a lot of cars.
4. The Bus Assassination (The Vapid Crash)
This one is different. Do not buy anything before the mission. Basically, you’re killing a billionaire who was about to buy Vapid. The stock is going to tank hard once he's dead.
The Move:
- During Mission: Just do the hit.
- Post-Mission: Wait for Vapid (VAP) on the BAWSAQ to hit its floor. This usually takes about two days.
- The Buy: Buy Vapid when it's cheap.
- The Sell: Wait for the rebound. It almost always hits exactly 100% profit. You literally double your money.
5. The Construction Assassination (The Final Payoff)
The last one. You’re taking out a developer named Enzo Bonelli. His rival, GoldCoast, is the stock you want.
The Plan:
- Pre-Mission: Invest in GoldCoast (GCD) on the LCN.
- Post-Mission: It peaks fast, usually within 24 hours.
- The Return: You’ll see about an 80% gain.
By the time you finish this, if you started with the $30M-$40M from the final heist, each of your characters should be sitting on roughly $2.1 billion. That is the hard cap for the game’s engine. You literally cannot have more money than that.
Pro-Tips for the 2026 Player
Don't just trust the numbers blindly. The market is a bit "twitchy" depending on whether you're playing the original version or the expanded editions.
Save-scumming is your best friend. Always make a manual save before you invest and before you start the mission. If the stock doesn't peak where it should, or you miss the window, just reload.
Use the bed to fast-forward.
Sleeping is the only way to move the market quickly. You don't actually have to save the game; just entering the sleep menu and backing out advances time. Trevor sleeps the longest (12 hours), making him the most efficient "time traveler" for market manipulation.
The LCN vs. BAWSAQ Difference.
The LCN is local to your save file. It reacts to your actions. BAWSAQ used to be influenced by the global player base, but for these missions, it behaves predictably based on the scripts. Just make sure you're connected to the internet, or BAWSAQ might act weird or show as "under maintenance."
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
I've seen people get frustrated because they sell too early. If a guide says 80% and you see 75%, wait another hour. Check your phone constantly. The "Portfolio" tab is more accurate than the main market list.
Also, watch out for weekends. The stock market in GTA 5 doesn't move on Saturdays or Sundays. if you're sleeping and nothing is happening, check the day of the week on your phone. You might just be stuck in a weekend lull.
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Your Next Steps
- Check your map: If you have "L" icons (Lester missions) and haven't finished the main story yet, leave them alone.
- Finish "The Big Score": Get that massive payout first.
- Manual Save: Create a "Master Save" before you touch the first assassination.
- Invest with all three: Don't forget to switch characters. Michael and Trevor need that retirement fund just as much as Franklin does.
Once you have that $2 billion, go buy the Los Santos Golf Club. It costs $150 million, and it's the ultimate "I made it" purchase in the game.