GTA 5 Assassination Missions Stock Market Explained (Simply)

You’ve probably heard the legends about players hitting the $2.1 billion cap in GTA 5. It sounds like a cheat code, but it's actually just math and murder. If you play the GTA 5 assassination missions stock market correctly, you’ll never have to worry about the cost of a hangar or a custom Adder again. Honestly, the game doesn't explicitly tell you how to do this, and if you rush through Lester’s hits early on, you’re basically leaving billions on the table.

The secret is patience.

Most people pull the trigger as soon as the "L" appears on the map. That's a mistake. You need capital to make the big bucks. Without a massive starting investment, a 50% return is just pocket change. If you wait until after the final heist, "The Big Score," each of your characters will have roughly $30 million to $40 million.

That is your seed money.

The Golden Rule: Save the Hits for Last

Wait. That is the most important piece of advice anyone can give you. Aside from the mandatory "Hotel Assassination" which you have to do to move the story forward, leave the rest alone. Once the main credits roll, you’ll have the cash flow required to actually break the game’s economy.

There are two markets in Los Santos: the LCN and the BAWSAQ. LCN is strictly offline and reacts to your story choices. BAWSAQ used to be influenced by the global player base, but for the purpose of these missions, it behaves predictably.

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Before every hit, you need to swap between Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. Invest every single cent they have into the target stock. If you forget one character, they’re staying poor while the others buy up Vinewood.

Mission 1: The Hotel Assassination

This one is the gatekeeper. You can't avoid it. Since you’ll likely be broke when you do this, the returns won't make you a billionaire yet, but it’s good practice.

Before you start, put everything into Betta Pharmaceuticals (BET) on the BAWSAQ. After the target is down, the stock usually climbs by about 50%. Once you sell, there’s a "rebound" play. Wait about three in-game days and look at Bilkinton Research (BIL) on the LCN. It will have plummeted. Buy it at the bottom, wait for it to recover (usually about a week), and sell for another 80% gain.

Mission 2: The Multi-Target Assassination

This is where the real wealth starts to snowball. You’re targeting Redwood Cigarette jurors.

1. Before the mission: Invest in Debonaire (DEB) on the LCN.
2. After the mission: Sell when it hits roughly an 80% return.
3. The Rebound: This is the legendary "Redwood play." Immediately after selling Debonaire, put everything into Redwood (RWC).
4. The Wait: You’ll need to sleep a lot to pass time. Redwood takes a while to bounce back.
5. The Payday: Sell Redwood once it hits a massive 300% return.

Yes, you read 그 right. Three hundred percent. This single mission can turn $40 million into over $150 million.

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Moving Fast with the Vice and Bus Jobs

The "Vice Assassination" targets the head of a tech company to benefit Fruit Computers. Before starting, buy Fruit (FRT) on BAWSAQ. It usually peaks around 50%. After you sell, you can try to buy the rival, Facade, on the dip, though the returns there are sometimes a bit more finicky.

Then comes the Bus Assassination. This one is different.

Do not invest before the mission. You’re actually going to tank the stock of Vapid. Complete the mission, wait for the Vapid (VAP) stock to hit rock bottom on the BAWSAQ (it usually drops by exactly 50%), then buy in. Wait a few in-game days for it to return to its original price. You’ll double your money.

The Construction Hit: The Final Payoff

The last mission Lester gives you is the "Construction Assassination." Before you head to the site, dump all your cash into Gold Coast (GCD) on the LCN.

After you take out the target, wait about 24 to 48 in-game hours. The stock should spike by approximately 80%. Sell it all. If you’ve followed this path after finishing the main story, this is usually the moment where your bank account balance turns into that long, beautiful string of digits ending in the billions.

How to Handle the "Wait"

The stock market doesn't update instantly. You need to pass time. The best way to do this is by heading to a safehouse and "sleeping."

• Trevor sleeps for 12 hours.
• Franklin sleeps for 8 hours.
• Michael sleeps for 6 hours.

Trevor is your best friend here. Just walk to his bed, enter the save menu, but don't actually save. Just back out. The time will still pass. Check your phone’s browser after every "nap" to see the percentage return.

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It’s also smart to keep a "clean" save file before you start any mission. Sometimes the market glitches or you miss the peak window because you slept too long. If the stock starts trending downward, reload that save and try again.

Nuances of the LCN and BAWSAQ

The LCN updates once every in-game hour. If you’re looking for a peak, it’s usually around the 24-hour mark for LCN stocks.

BAWSAQ is faster. It can peak almost immediately after a mission. If you wait too long to check your phone after the "Vice Assassination," you might actually miss the highest point. Always check the "Portfolio" tab specifically; the main market page graphs are often lagging behind the actual percentage shown in your holdings.

Actionable Next Steps

To make this work, follow this specific sequence:

1. Finish the Story: Complete "The Big Score" and choose the "Option C" ending to keep all three characters alive and wealthy.
2. Manual Save: Create a dedicated save slot called "Market Start" so you can restart if you mess up the timing.
3. Invest with All Three: Open the browser on Michael, buy the stock. Switch to Trevor, buy the stock. Switch to Franklin, buy the stock.
4. Execute the Mission: Only then do you go to the "L" on the map.
5. Sleep to Peak: Use Trevor to advance time 12 hours at a time, checking the "My Portfolio" page after each session.
6. Sell and Re-invest: For the missions with rebounds (like Redwood and Vapid), make sure you don't spend your earnings until the second half of the trade is complete.

Once you’ve hit the $2.1 billion cap, the game’s money counter will stop. You can finally buy the Los Santos Golf Club for $150 million and still have enough left over to buy every single plane in Elitás Travel.