The Top Stocks to Buy With $20 for 2026

A room full of investors will almost never agree on the single "best" stock to buy, since things like long-term goals, investment horizon, preferences, starting capital, and other factors all affect which companies people gravitate toward. But what if we put a restriction on the price variable?

The job gets a little easier. With only $20 to spend on at least a single share of a corporation -- a price point where few of the most popular stocks trade -- and with the stipulation that we're looking for a company capable of performing well over the long run, I'd put that money in Adyen (OTC: ADYE.Y), a fintech specialist. Here's why.

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Adyen's business is rock-solid

Adyen is a leading fintech company whose payment services have attracted many notable businesses. That's because Adyen can help its customers process payments across their online and brick-and-mortar stores and across different geographical regions -- something that would typically require a fragmented set of intermediaries -- all on a single integrated platform. The company also provides risk management and fraud protection services, all without relying on intermediaries.

Adyen generates consistent revenue and earnings and processes over $1 trillion in payment volume every year. The company also benefits from a strong economic moat thanks to switching costs. Adyen's core operations are strong, which is, in itself, a solid reason to consider the stock.

Strong growth prospects

Adyen has not performed well in recent years. The stock has basically moved sideways since 2022 or so. Revenue growth slowed post-pandemic, margins dropped at some point, and the company encountered stiffer competition, including PayPal. Even so, Adyen looks like a top stock to buy and hold for a while. The company has plenty of growth opportunities, especially outside its core European market. Adyen has been expanding its reach in the U.S., for instance. Further, margins are moving in the right direction again as the company has slowed aggressive hiring.

It is also increasingly looking to attract businesses in niches it has historically not been as strong in, including large-format retail, an initiative it believes could unlock significant value for the company. Adyen's ongoing initiatives could, eventually, help boost revenue growth and margins. It might not happen overnight, but my view is that the fintech giant will reward patient investors who initiate positions today. The stock is currently trading at about $15 per share. At these levels, this fintech giant is a great buy.

Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in PayPal. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Adyen and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2027 $42.50 calls on PayPal and short March 2026 $65 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.