2 Red-Hot Growth Stocks to Buy in 2026

By Brett Schafer – Mar 1, 2026 at 11:46AM ESTKey PointsA red-hot growth business whose stock is falling is a perfect buying opportunity for patient investors. MercadoLibre is a rapidly growing e-commerce and fintech provider in Latin America. Wix is getting beaten down by the software disruption narrative, but it should do just fine in the coming years. What is a growth stock? You may think it's a stock whose price is rocketing higher. However, the smarter definition that will lead to better long-term gains for your portfolio is to think of a growth stock as an equity representing a business that is firing on all cylinders, regardless of where the stock price trades. In fact, the best buying opportunities among growth stocks can arrive in your lap when a stock price is down, but the underlying business is seeing accelerating growth. Here are two red-hot growth stocks that fit this criteria that should make great buys for your portfolio in 2026. Image source: Getty Images. Buying the dip on MercadoLibre One of the fastest-growing large technology businesses in the world is MercadoLibre (MELI +1.01%). The company is one of the top e-commerce and fintech providers in Latin American countries such as Mexico and Brazil, leading the way with its combined payment tools and online shopping portal. ExpandNASDAQ: MELIMercadoLibreToday's Change(1.01%) $17.61Current Price$1758.49Key Data PointsMarket Cap$89BDay's Range$1721.76 - $1775.0052wk Range$1654.24 - $2645.22Volume33KAvg Vol567KGross Margin44.50% Last quarter, the company reported yet another round of skyrocketing growth. Net revenue grew 47% year over year in constant currency, reaching over $25 billion for the full year 2025. Commerce revenue grew 40%, while fintech revenue grew 51% year over year, underscoring how these two product categories reinforce each other in countries like Argentina, which is experiencing an economic recovery after a period of hyperinflation. Long-term, there is an immense opportunity for MercadoLibre to grow both sides of its business. E-commerce penetration is much lower in Latin America than in more developed nations, giving the business a huge runway to keep growing. Wall Street is upset that investments are being made that will sacrifice profits in the short run, but they will lead to a much larger MercadoLibre business a decade from now. A dirt-cheap software stock set for an acceleration The second red-hot growth stock has gotten brutally beaten down by the market: Wix.com (WIX 1.14%). Wix is a website builder getting caught up in the software stock meltdown over artificial intelligence (AI) disruption fears. ExpandNASDAQ: WIXWix.comToday's Change(-1.14%) $-0.81Current Price$70.50Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.9BDay's Range$68.50 - $70.5952wk Range$60.22 - $202.43Volume152KAvg Vol1.8MGross Margin68.45% Investors believe that Wix will be displaced by AI coding agents that will make websites for people themselves. It's hard to believe this will be the case, given Wix's current business and customers. First, Wix is already a platform that lets you build a website without any coding, which is what AI is theoretically going to replace. Second, Wix's customers are individual contractors and small businesses, such as restaurants, that are not exactly looking to add cutting-edge software tools every day. The disruption risk is highly overblown, and Wix is already preparing for more intensive competition. It acquired Base44, a vibe coding application builder that went from $0 in revenue when it was bought in June to over $50 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2025. This hypergrowth asset could help revenue accelerate in 2026. With Wix stock trading down 82% from all-time highs, now might be a great time to buy this stock, which is accelerating top-line growth.Read NextFeb 25, 2026 •By Brett SchaferA Once-in-a-Decade Investment Opportunity: Buy This Software Stock Right NowFeb 23, 2026 •By Will HealyDorsal Capital Dumps 25,000 Wix.com Shares Worth $3 MillionFeb 17, 2026 •By Brett SchaferHow Buying Wix.com Stock Today Could 10X Your Net WorthFeb 15, 2026 •By Brett SchaferSoftware Bear Market: 2 Stocks With Massive Upside, According to Wall StreetFeb 4, 2026 •By Timothy GreenHere's Why Wix.com Stock Tumbled 16% in JanuaryJan 24, 2026 •By Adam LevyThis Small-Cap Growth Stock Has Been Hit Hard By the Rise of Artificial Intelligence.

But It Could Turn Into a Vibe Coding Giant.About the AuthorBrett Schafer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering consumer goods, financials, technology, and industrials. Brett is a self-taught investor and has hosted the Chit Chat Stocks podcast since 2018. He previously worked as a lab engineer for science laboratories. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with minors in finance and mathematics from Washington State University. His lab work on Major League Baseball’s juiced ball problem was featured in The Wall Street Journal and other national outlets.TMFBrettSchaferX@CCM_BrettStocks MentionedWix.comNASDAQ: WIX$70.50(-1.14%)-$0.81MercadoLibreNASDAQ: MELI$1,758.49(+1.01%)+$17.61*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.