If you're investing with a long-term mindset, choosing the right ASX 200 stocks matters.
Short-term market noise, interest rate movements, and economic cycles all become far less important when you have a 10-year horizon.
What really counts is owning businesses with sustainable competitive advantages, strong earnings power, and the ability to keep compounding year after year.
With that in mind, here are three ASX 200 stocks I would feel very comfortable putting $10,000 into and leaving untouched for the next decade.
Image source: Getty Images
REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)
Real estate might rise and fall with the economic cycle, but REA Group has proven again and again that it sits above the noise.
REA Group's realestate.com.au website is the dominant digital property platform in Australia. It benefits from unmatched brand power, huge consumer traffic, and long-term relationships with agents and developers. When Australians look for property, they go to REA, and that behaviour isn't changing.
Importantly, the ASX 200 stock continues to find ways to monetise its leadership position. Premium listing upgrades, new adjacent services, data products, and international expansion provide multiple growth levers. Even in softer property markets, the company has maintained strong earnings momentum thanks to its pricing power and operational efficiency.
With its wide moat, high margins and expanding global footprint, I think REA is one of the most reliable long-term compounders on the ASX.
TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)
Long-term wealth creation is built on consistency, and TechnologyOne might be the most consistent software company in Australia.
It specialises in enterprise SaaS solutions for government, education, and large organisations. These are customers that value reliability and tend to stick with their software providers for decades. This results in incredibly stable, high-margin recurring revenue and some of the stickiest client relationships in the market.
The company has delivered 16 consecutive years of record profit and continues to grow strongly as new customers join its platform and existing customers spend more.
The good news is that its growth is far from over. In fact, management believes that it can double in size every five years. In light of this, its proven management team, huge addressable market, and reliable earnings, TechnologyOne is exactly the type of company I would happily hold for 10 years or more.
Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)
While Woolworths Group won't match the hyper-growth of tech stocks, it brings resilience to a decade-long portfolio.
As Australia's largest supermarket operator, this ASX 200 stock enjoys steady demand regardless of economic conditions. People always need groceries, household essentials and everyday goods, which gives the business a defensive earnings profile.
Over a 10-year period, this combination of defensive earnings and robust growth can deliver surprisingly strong compounding. So, for investors wanting stability alongside growth, Woolworths provides a dependable anchor for any long-term portfolio.
