You've probably heard the rumors or seen the old forum posts. Everyone says you can finish Grand Theft Auto 5 with billions in the bank. They aren’t lying, but honestly, most people mess up the execution. They get impatient. They trigger the missions too early.
The connection between GTA 5 assassinations and stocks is the only way to hit the game's hard cash cap of $2,147,483,647. If you do it right, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor will never have to worry about the cost of a customized Adder ever again.
Here is the thing: the stock market in Los Santos is a rigged game. Lester Crest is your inside man, and if you don't follow his timing to the letter, you're just leaving money on the table.
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The Biggest Mistake Players Make
Most players see an "L" on the map and drive straight to it. Stop doing that. Aside from the first mandatory hit (The Hotel Assassination), you should ignore Lester until the very end of the game. Why? Because the stock market works on percentages.
If you have $10,000 and get an 80% return, you made $8,000. Big deal. But if you wait until after "The Big Score"—the final heist—you’ll have roughly $30 to $40 million per character. An 80% return on $40 million is $32 million.
See the difference?
You need capital to make the GTA 5 assassinations and stocks strategy actually worth your time.
Mission 1: The Hotel Assassination
This is the only one you have to do to move the story forward. Since you won't have much money yet, the payout won't be legendary, but it’s good practice.
- Before the mission: Switch between all three characters. Open the browser, go to BAWSAQ, and dump every cent into Betta Pharmaceuticals (BET).
- The Hit: Go take out the target at the Von Crastenburg Hotel.
- The Sell: After the mission, wait about 24 in-game hours. BET should peak around a 50% return. Sell everything.
- The Rebound: Now, immediately buy Bilkinton Research (BIL) on the LCN exchange. It will be at an all-time low. Wait about a week in-game (keep sleeping to pass time) and sell when it rebounds for about 80% to 100%.
The Billionaire Roadmap: Post-Game Strategy
Once the main credits roll and you have that massive heist payout, it’s time to go to work. This is where the real GTA 5 assassinations and stocks manipulation happens.
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The Multi-Target Assassination
Lester wants you to take out four jurors. This hit destroys the value of Redwood Cigarettes and boosts their rival, Debonaire.
The Move: Invest everything into Debonaire (DEB) on the LCN before the mission. After the hit, it usually peaks at around 60% to 80% profit within 24 hours.
But don't stop there. Once you sell your Debonaire shares, immediately put all that money into Redwood (RWC) on the LCN. It’s going to be dirt cheap. You’ll have to wait longer this time—usually 48 to 72 in-game hours—but the rebound is insane. We’re talking a 300% return. This single mission is often what turns millions into hundreds of millions.
The Vice Assassination
This one is about Fruit Computers.
The Move: Buy Fruit (FRT) on BAWSAQ before you start. It’ll jump about 50% almost immediately after the mission. Sell it.
Some players swear by a rebound on Facade (FAC) after this, but the returns are often lower (around 30%). If you’re feeling greedy, go for it, but the Fruit spike is the main event here.
The Bus Assassination
This one is weird. Do NOT buy anything before the mission. The Move: Complete the mission first. You're taking out a billionaire who owns Vapid Motor Works. After he’s gone, Vapid (VAP) stock on BAWSAQ will crater. Wait for it to hit its floor—usually a day or two after the hit—and then buy in with everyone.
Sleep a few times. Once it bounces back, you’re looking at a 100% return. You basically just doubled your entire net worth in a few days.
The Construction Assassination
The final big payday.
The Move: Before you head to the construction site, put every dollar into GoldCoast (GCD) on the LCN. After you take out the target, the stock will climb. It usually hits its peak around 80% within 24 to 48 hours.
Pro Tips for Maximum Greed
It's easy to miss the peak if you aren't careful. The market doesn't wait for you.
- Manual Saves are Life: Always, always save your game before you start a mission and before you invest. If the stock doesn't behave or you miss the peak, just reload.
- The Sleeping Trick: Sleeping is the fastest way to advance time. You don't actually have to save; just enter the save menu and back out. Trevor sleeps the longest (12 hours), while Michael is a light sleeper (6 hours). Use Trevor if you want the clock to move fast.
- Check the Portfolio: Don’t just look at the main market page. Check your "My Portfolio" tab to see the actual percentage return.
- Weekend Lull: The LCN exchange doesn't move on weekends. If your stock is stuck, check the in-game day. You might just be waiting for Monday morning.
What Actually Happens to the Money?
By the time you finish the Construction Assassination, each character should have well over $1.5 billion. If you were really efficient with your heist crew choices (like picking Taliana Martinez or Packie McReary to keep the take high), you’ll hit the $2.1 billion cap easily.
What do you do with it? Buy the Golf Club for $150 million. Buy every hangar, helipad, and garage. Honestly, at that point, the game becomes a sandbox where price tags don't exist. It's a total power trip.
To get started right now, check your map for the "L" icon. If you’ve already finished the story, go to your safehouse, make a fresh save file, and start the Multi-Target Assassination investment. Just remember to switch between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor to buy the stocks on all three phones before you pull the trigger.