I think it is fair to say that 2025 hasn't exactly started the way most investors were hoping.
Trade tensions, market jitters, and a sharp selloff in growth and tech stocks have sent many ASX shares tumbling well off their highs. And while that might sound like a warning sign to some, for long-term investors, it looks more like an open door.
If your investment horizon stretches out to 2035 and beyond, buying during bouts of market weakness could be one of the smartest financial moves you make.
Here are three reasons why I'd be buying cheap ASX shares right now — and not looking back for a decade.
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Reason One: Bargains emerge when sentiment is weak
Markets are emotional. When things get uncertain, investors often overreact, sending good companies down with the bad. We've seen exactly that in recent months, with quality ASX shares falling 30% or more despite delivering solid results and maintaining strong long-term outlooks.
Buying when others are fearful is more than just a Warren Buffett quote — it's a proven approach to long-term investing. History shows that many of the best returns come from investing when sentiment is at its weakest.
Reason Two: You're buying the next decade
When you buy (and hold) shares in 2025, you're not just buying the next few quarters of performance. You're buying everything those businesses could achieve over the next 10 years — new products, market expansion, margin improvements, and more.
The ASX is home to a number of shares with massive global potential, from logistics tech like WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) and radiopharmaceuticals like Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) or digital infrastructure like Goodman Group (ASX: GMG). Today's discounted prices won't last forever, but the benefits of owning great businesses over a decade can be extraordinary.
Reason 3: Dividends and compounding
Even if share prices move sideways for a while, the power of dividends and compounding shouldn't be underestimated. Reinvesting those dividends into more shares during down markets allows investors to accumulate a larger position at lower prices — supercharging future returns.
By holding for the long term, you allow time and compounding to do the heavy lifting. And with many ASX shares offering yields of 4%+ (many fully franked), there's meaningful income to be earned along the way.
Foolish takeaway
Markets move in cycles — but patient investing rewards consistency, not perfect timing. Right now, there are ASX shares trading at prices we might look back on in 2035 and wish we'd bought more of.
