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<div type="image" title="Save yourself the trouble of buying physical gold this Diwali, and instead, go digital with Gold ETFs!" height="900" width="1200" msid="114507055" hostid="261" sizebytes="439216" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Save yourself the trouble of buying physical gold this Diwali, and instead, go digital with Gold ETFs!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Ah, <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword>! The shiny metal that's been making humans lose their minds since time immemorial. And yet, from <keyword id="23657519" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="king-midas" source="keywords">King Midas</keyword> to our neighbourhood aunty and even our moms (and secretly dads), everyone seems to have a super soft spot for the <keyword id="6384667" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bullion" source="Orion">bullion</keyword>. But here's the kicker: right now, gold prices are breaking all records on their upward trajectory! As of today, prices of 24k carat gold have passed the Rs 80,000 mark per 10 grams. And if experts are to be believed, this train isn't stopping anytime soon! So, as shiny as gold might look, adding even a bit of its glitter as we start decking up for the festive season might not be so easy on your pockets. But let's admit it—we love our gold and can't live without it. No wonder India is the second-largest consumer of the yellow metal in the world, only behind China. Such is our fondness for the metal that the <keyword id="20195223" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-gold-council" source="keywords">World Gold Council</keyword> had to up our 2024 annual demand forecast to 850 tonnes, up from the previously estimated 750 tonnes. However, our love for gold isn't just about looking fabulously embellished and blinding people with its bling. Indians also see gold as a long-term, trusty investment, supporting our other hard-earned assets, especially when high <keyword id="22195" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inflation" source="Orion">inflation</keyword> rates pull our returns down. After all, while inflationary pressures generally weaken the purchasing power of our regular paper money, gold is built differently. When the world is buckling to inflation, gold gains value during these times. This is also why it is considered a solid hedge against inflation. With <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> and <keyword id="4067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhanteras" source="Orion">Dhanteras</keyword> knocking at our doors, the inflation demon continued to bother India like a guest who refused to leave. Just last month, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 5.49%, much higher than the anticipated levels. Moreover, the diverging policy stances among central bankers worldwide, growing geopolitical tensions, tough job markets, and extreme weather events are only adding to the uncertainty. In such economically uncertain times, what should your gold strategy be this festive season? To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Well, let’s get to it. <h2><keyword id="20050894" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-etfs" source="keywords">Gold ETFs</keyword> to the rescue</h2>See, buying physical gold jewellery is certainly a flex, but also a financial fuss. First, you pay a heavy amount to buy gold. Not to mention all those extra, hefty jewellery-making charges. And then you pay even more money to keep it safe in a bank locker, lest it get stolen. But what if we tell you that you can own pure 24k gold, minus all these frills? Welcome, Gold ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). Simply put, gold ETFs are like the cool cousins of your traditional gold investments. Instead of stashing gold bars under your mattress like those maniac millionaires we see in Bollywood films, you can now invest and trade in gold through the stock market. It's basically buying units of an <keyword id="19930506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="etf" source="keywords">ETF</keyword> on the stock exchange that directly mirror the ongoing domestic prices of gold. Generally, gold ETFs are equivalent to 99.5% pure physical gold bars, and each ETF unit denotes actual, one gram of gold. And let's face it, who would not want that golden glow in their lives? Gold ETFs have witnessed an over seven-fold surge in their AUM (assets under management) in just the last five years. From Rs 5,613.22 crore in September 2019 to Rs 39,823.50 crore in September 2024, gold ETFs seem to be in-thing. Inflows in gold ETFs have shot up by a whopping 2,695% over the last 5 years. In September 2019, gold ETFs had garnered a mere Rs 44.11 crore. Compare that to the inflows worth Rs 1,232.99 crore gold ETFs received last month. Talk about growing, or glowing popularity! In fact, in just 2024, inflows in gold ETFs have surged by nearly 88% since the beginning of this calendar year. From Rs 657.46 crore in January 2024 to Rs 1,232.99 crore in September 2024, good old gold is never out of season. <h2>So, how do these ETFs work? Should I invest in them now?</h2>All you need is a Demat account. Log into your account, choose the gold ETF scheme you want to invest in, and voila! You’re now a bullion-aire! All your gold ETF units will be stored in this account. Then, you can buy and sell gold ETFs just like you buy shares—in real-time. So, if gold prices inch upwards, which is where gold is currently going, the value of your ETF units will also rise in lockstep. Ashwini Kumar, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Data at ICRA Analytics, says that of late, gold ETFs have been increasingly gaining popularity among investors due to the liquidity, safety and transparency they offer. "With the escalating global geopolitical tensions boosting the ‘safe-haven’ appeal of the bullion, investors are preferring to park their funds in gold ETFs as compared to investing in physical gold, as there is no hassle of storing it. The heightened activity in gold ETFs is also driven by the prospects of an imminent further interest rate cut by the <keyword id="20078761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-federal-reserve" source="keywords">U.S. Federal Reserve</keyword> in the coming months,” he added. “Investors with a short- to medium-term investment horizon may consider investment through gold ETFs. A buy-on-dips strategy here may help investors capitalise on a temporary correction in prices. Also, given the current market dynamics where equities are showing mixed trends, a modest, 5-10% allocation to gold may serve as a hedge against inflation and market volatility, which may help you balance risks in an optimum manner,” Kumar noted. <h2>Wait, there is no dearth of options</h2>But if ETFs make you go WTF, there’s always digital gold. You can invest in the yellow metal without actually physically holding it for as low as Rs 1. The best part? You can buy or sell this gold 24 X7 seamlessly via multiple apps without having to pay storage costs. On your behalf, your gold is stored in insured vaults by the seller. But remember, digital gold continues to remain unregulated territory in the country, where you venture at your own risk. In 2021, market watchdog SEBI had even asked its members to desist from selling digital gold. Then there are gold mutual funds and the Sarkari SGBs, or sovereign gold bonds. While gold mutual funds invest primarily in gold ETFs, SGBs are issued by the RBI and are also a reliable substitute for holding physical gold. However, with the RBI currently putting brakes on issuing SGBs, investing in them is out of the question. Plus, you should only get your hands on SGBs if you're in for the long haul. Apart from a 2.5% p.a. interest, you don't have any yearly earnings from them. Moreover, no premature redemption is allowed before 5 years, and you'll have to wait a good 8 years to maximise your returns. <h2>Okay, tell me about returns</h2>In contrast, the seventeen gold ETF schemes currently present in the market offer an average one-year return of 29.12%. Stay with it a little longer, and you can end up with returns worth 16.93% and 13.59% over a 3- and 5-year period, respectively. If you look at it, these returns are comparable with the returns delivered by actual, physical gold. Data from Value Research indicates that gold, as a commodity, has delivered returns worth 27.24%, 16.53%, and 14.18% over a 1, 3, and 5-year period, respectively. So, worth investing, right? <h2>What are the risks?</h2>See, markets are as unpredictable as monsoons in Mumbai. One significant market correction can wash away your returns, and one sunny day or an upswing can leave you wallowing in wealth. Since your gold investments are directly linked to these markets, you should steel yourself up for some volatility. Plus, international gold prices are in dollars. So, if our rupee decides to take a nosedive, your returns might look a bit tarnished. Also, know that your ETF might not always perfectly mirror gold prices, which is also known as a tracking error. It's like expecting your Zomato-ordered food to look exactly like the picture on the menu—it's close, but not quite. Then there’s the taxation bit. The budget this year brought down the LTCG (long-term capital gains tax) on gold ETFs from the previous 20% to 12.5% (sans indexation). LTCG is what you pay if you sell your ETF units after 12 months. If you sell your gold ETF units within a year and make handsome returns, the tax you’ll have to pay will be equivalent to your income tax slab rate. <h2>Is gold just for old?</h2>A survey by fintech firm Moneyview thinks otherwise. Per their findings, over 85% of the 3,000 respondents it talked to considered gold to be a valuable asset for wealth preservation, with its intrinsic value and historical performance continuing to drive consumer confidence. Particularly, young investors in the age group of 25–40 years are also investing in gold via both physical and digital ways to build wealth for retirement and other long-term goals. So, young or old, everyone’s going for gold. So, this festive season, with gold prices going north, investing in gold can add that much-needed glitz to your financial attire. But remember, don't go overboard since gold isn't exactly a high-return-yielding asset. But whether you're a seasoned investor looking to diversify or a newbie trying to make their way in the markets, investing in gold offers you a glittering safety cushion. Just remember, while gold can make your portfolio shine, it's your smart investment decisions that truly make you golden. Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified, and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

Simply put: Can investing in gold this festive season add the much-touted Midas touch to your investments?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The price of gold hit all-time highs this week.</li><li>Falling interest rates and rising geopolitical tensions boost gold's appeal as a safe haven asset.</li></ul>The price of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/commodities/gold-price">gold</a> has soared this year.The precious metal hit a record high of $2,772 per troy ounce this week and has risen in six of the past seven weeks.With year-to-date gains of about 33%, gold returns have outpaced the broader stock market, including the tech-heavy <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/nasdaq_100">Nasdaq 100</a>, by about 10 percentage points.And since the bull market in stocks began in October 2022, gold has outpaced equity gains, returning 67% compared to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/index/s&amp;p_500">S&amp;P 500's</a> return of about 63%, according to data from YCharts.Those superior returns make the metal one of the world's hottest investments.The largest gold ETF, the SPDR Gold Shares, has $78 billion in assets under management and has seen about $5 billion of inflows in the past six months, according to data from ETF.com.Physical gold is also having a moment. Costco has consistently sold out of gold bars when they become available on their website and Wells Fargo estimates that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-gold-bars-silver-coins-monthly-sales-wells-fargo-bullion-2024-4">Costco sells up to $200 million in gold bars</a> and silver coins to its members each month.It's been a perfect storm for the yellow metal, and the outlook suggests more gains ahead. Here's what's going on.<h3 id="5edb3548-699e-4d4d-ba18-d306c30fcf12">Demand from central banks</h3>Global central banks have been on a gold-buying spree over the past few years.According to the World Gold Council, central banks purchased a record 483 tons of gold in the first half of the year. Central banks from Turkey, India, and China topped the list of the biggest buyers.Part of the surge in demand is from countries that want to diversify their holdings away from the US dollar. "We believe that the tripling in central bank purchases since mid-2022 on fears about US financial sanctions and US sovereign debt is structural and will continue," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/gold-price-outlook-buy-continued-rally-next-year-2025-goldman-2024-9">Goldman Sachs said</a> in a note last month.This dynamic has been on display since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, as America sought to inflict maximum economic damage on Russia via sanctions. But it's harder to implement sanctions against a country that is less reliant on the dollar, and one way to be less reliant on the dollar is to buy gold.It is a dynamic that the US should be closely monitoring, according to economist Mohamed El-Erian.El-Erian wrote <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ft.com/content/b5fb1e6b-bb8d-4ab5-9c92-f1f6fc40a54b?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=emailhttps://www.ft.com/content/b5fb1e6b-bb8d-4ab5-9c92-f1f6fc40a54b?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">in an op-ed for the FT</a> this week that the persistent rise in gold "captures an increasingly persistent behavioural trend among China and 'middle power' countries.""There is also interest in exploring possible alternatives to the dollar-based payments system that has been at the core of the international architecture for some 80 years."Russia has had some success with this, as it's managed to navigate its economy away from a full-fledged downturn after the US imposed wide-ranging sanctions in 2022.Russia's ability to steer its de-dollarized economy away from a crisis could give other countries confidence to lessen their dependence on the dollar, which ultimately benefits gold."What is at stake here is not just the erosion of the dollar's dominant role but also a gradual change in the operation of the global system," El-Erian said. "As it develops deeper roots, this risks materially fragmenting the global system and eroding the international influence of the dollar and the US financial system.<h3 id="8959c97e-7efe-42f8-a1a3-3fa362c5ac51">Geopolitical tensions</h3>Gold is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/gold-safe-haven-treasurys-us-national-debt-bofa-fiscal-expansion-2024-10">considered a safe haven asset</a> due to its long-standing history as a stable store of value.So when geopolitical tensions rise, investors tend to flock to the shiny metal, and right now, there is no shortage of reasons to be worried.From Russia's war against Ukraine to the escalating clashes in the Middle East to China's long-running threat against Taiwan's independence, geopolitical tensions are rising, not falling.What's more, soaring US debt means that Treasurys—another historical safe haven asset—might not be so risk-free anymore."Gold looks to be the last 'safe haven' asset standing, incentivising traders including central banks to increase exposure," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/gold-safe-haven-treasurys-us-national-debt-bofa-fiscal-expansion-2024-10">Bank of America said</a> in a note this month. <h3 id="29ec9208-7951-47bd-89c8-75f2d6320ca9">The Trump trade</h3>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/donald-trump-trade-rally-betting-markets-kamala-harris-bitcoin-djt-2024-10">Trump trade has picked up steam recently</a> as the former president's odds of winning the election have risen, and gold has been a big beneficiary.That's because a potential Trump presidency is expected to be accompanied by a soaring government deficit and a fast-growing pile of debt, which would further drive concerns about a rebound in inflation and the sustainability of the US dollar."If you're worried about fiscal profligacy, financial repression, and attacks on Fed independence, gold would be an attractive asset," economist Davix Oxley of Capital Economics said on Friday.Even if Trump doesn't win the election, the deficit is likely to grow, setting gold up well for more gains, according to Interactive Brokers chief strategist Steve Sosnick."It's not as though either candidate is preaching fiscal discipline, and the Fed seems willing to keep cutting even if inflation remains a bit above target. So there is a thought that gold could be a viable alternative if rates rise and the economy remains sound. And if the economy isn't sound it could still be a good store of value," Sosnick told Business Insider."<h3 id="dadb04c2-defd-4fe4-a269-2b48d277b4de">Interest rates</h3>According to data from the World Gold Council, falling interest rates have historically benefited gold prices, with the commodity rising as much as 10% in the six months after the Federal Reserve's first rate cut.With the Fed expected to cut interest rates multiple times over the next year, lower rates should serve as a tailwind for gold prices.While interest rates<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rate-increase-since-federal-reserve-cut-interest-rates-housing-2024-10"> actually jumped since the Fed's first rate cut</a> last month, with the 10-year Treasury yield hitting its highest level since July this week, gold prices have continued to rise.That's a sign that gold investors are more focused on the global interest-rate path, which is pointing lower as global central banks look poised to loosen monetary policy.The People's Bank of China cut rates by 25 basis points this week, while the Bank of Canada cut by 50 basis points. The European Central lowered rates by 25 basis points last week, and economists say they see the Bank of England <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/22/why-economists-see-the-uk-cutting-interest-rates-more-substantially.html">set to deliver bigger rate cuts</a> than previously expected by markets.

How gold became one of the world's hottest investments

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As fears over economic volatility and deficits grow, investors and central banks are buying gold.</li><li>Gold is often seen as a safe-haven asset among investors.</li></ul>Now is looking like a golden opportunity to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/how-to-invest-in-gold">invest in gold</a>.For decades, the yellow metal has been considered a safe-haven asset, serving as a hedge against high inflation and economic uncertainty due to its low correlation to stocks and bonds.And there's certainly no shortage of economic uncertainty right now. The US presidential election is right around the corner, inflation concerns remain elevated, geopolitical tensions are high, and the US national debt is reaching untenable levels.Investors and central banks alike have been snatching up gold. The asset's price hit another record high earlier this week at $2,739.40 per ounce after rising over 30% this year, and some analysts are setting a price target of $3,000.Investing in gold is slightly different from putting money into stocks or bonds. Below, two gold experts share four ways investors can add gold to their portfolios.<h2 id="f6498d65-9f43-415b-a374-53643e6db3e3">4 ways to invest in gold</h2>For starters, investors can purchase the metal directly.You can buy gold coins online. You can buy gold bars at Costco. Those strip mall stores with a big "We Buy Gold" sign? You can buy gold there, too.Buying the physical commodity is a tangible way to invest in gold, but it does have some drawbacks. Jeff Muhlenkamp, portfolio manager at Muhlenkamp &amp; Company, points out that there are transaction costs when buying directly from a gold dealer. The investor also has to ensure the gold is certified regarding purity and weight. Buyers must also consider secure storage solutions and insurance for their physical assets.In general, physical gold is a less liquid way to own the asset and is quite costly. "Most of the time when people go and buy gold coins, they'll pay a big premium upfront, and they'll probably suffer a discount when they come to sell at the end," George Milling-Stanley, chief gold strategist at State Street Global Advisors, said.Investors can avoid the complications of investing in bars and coins by buying a gold ETF instead.Physical gold ETFs can be bought through a brokerage account and are directly backed by gold bullion held in bank vaults, meaning that investors don't have to worry about storage or liquidity issues. Examples include the iShares Gold Trust fund (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/ishares-gold-trust-us4642852044?miRedirects=1">IAU</a>) and the SPDR Gold Shares fund (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/spdr-gold-shares-us78463v1070?miRedirects=1">GLD</a>).Synthetic gold ETFs don't hold physical gold, investing instead in gold derivatives such as futures and options. These ETFs can be cheaper than physically backed ones since they don't need to store the metal, but they have counterparty risk, or the risk of loss from a contract participant not fulfilling their obligation. Examples include the SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/spdr-gold-minishares-us98149e3036?miRedirects=1">GLDM</a>) and the ProShares Ultra Gold fund (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/etfs/proshares-ultra-gold-us74347w6012?miRedirects=2">UGL</a>).For investors who want to get as close to the real thing without buying bars, physical gold ETFs tend to track changes in the price of gold more accurately than synthetic ones, Muhlenkamp said.Mining companies are another option for more indirect exposure. These can vary wildly in risk, so Milling-Stanley advises that investors approach these stocks with discretion. The multi-billion-dollar market-cap mining companies offer the most liquidity and stable business models. Smaller mining companies, known as junior miners, are in the exploration phase of looking for mineral deposits and might not be generating revenues, Muhlenkamp said.Mining stocks are less directly correlated with the price of gold than ETFs and may lag trends in gold prices by several months, Muhlenkamp said.In Milling-Stanley's opinion, investing in mining stocks instead of directly investing in gold erodes some of the metal's portfolio protection, as mining stocks behave more in line with the general equity market.This area of investment is definitely higher in risk, but if enthusiasm for gold continues to surge, more speculative mining stocks will enjoy the biggest upside, according to Muhlenkamp.Examples of mining stocks include Agnico-Eagle Mines (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/aem-stock">AEM</a>) and Newmont Mining Corp (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/nem-stock">NEM</a>).Gold royalty and streaming companies are yet another way to add gold to a portfolio. These companies finance gold mines and receive a percentage of the gold produced.Royalties limit the holder's exposure to the risks associated with directly investing in mines, such as exploration, development, and regulatory compliance. Royalty and streaming companies are a good way to gain exposure to junior mines but still retain liquidity, especially for investors who don't have the ability or resources to conduct due diligence, Muhlenkamp said.Examples of gold royalty companies include Franco-Nevada (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/fnv-stock">FNV</a>) and Wheaton Precious Metals (<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/wpm-stock">WPM</a>).

4 ways to add gold to your portfolio as investors pile in and send prices to record highs  

<div type="image" title="Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024." msid="115250619" hostid="261" sizebytes="118350" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Data from RBI suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “Ye le beta, humare khaandani sone ke gehne. Ise girvi rakhva de, shayad kuch paise aa jaye ghar main.” How many times have we seen similar dialogues repeat itself in Bollywood films of the 70s and 80s—abject poverty and a frail-looking old mother pleading to her son to pawn the family’s heirloom <keyword id="18712" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold" source="Orion">gold</keyword> ornaments to a jeweller, all to get a few bucks? Well, if you’d ask that son in 2024, he’d rather hit the loan button on his <keyword id="19977340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat" source="keywords">Demat</keyword> account than pawn his mother’s gold jewellery. Given how Indians are rapidly resorting to taking loans against their investments in shares and mutual funds, these might as well be a cherished family heirloom in today’s time. Fair warning though; it's not as if gold and loans against it are going down in India’s lending scene. It's very much the opposite, shining brighter than ever! The secured loan category is having its time in the spotlight, and people are certainly looking beyond land and property to get their hands on some extra monies! But what is funding the steep rise behind these loans? And are they as failsafe and secure as they’re made out to be? We decode for you in this week’s Simply Put. <h2>The great Indian pawning party</h2>Pawning one’s gold has been, by far, the OG Indian financial move to get a loan. That continues well into 2024, and apparently, more so when India decides to wed and celebrate! Data from <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> suggests that the outstanding amount on gold loans has swelled from Rs 85,009 crore in September 2022 to Rs 1,47,081 crore in September 2024. It looks like Gold took the motto of rise and shine too seriously! Table 1: Growth in gold loans <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Amount (In Rs crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2022 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">85,009 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">89,370 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2023 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">97,426 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">March 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,02,562 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">September 2024 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,47,081 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Source: RBI data While the world continues to be riled up in multiple geopolitical crises in 2024, gold has been making merry of these tough times. Thus far this year, domestic gold prices have grown by 23%, outperforming benchmark indices like Nifty and Sensex by a mile, which have gone up by 9.85% and 8.86%, respectively. The growth in gold loan disbursal rates month on month this year could also put Nifty and Sensex’s growth to shame. In just September 2024, gold loans grew an astounding 51%, up from 40.9% in August, 30.5% in June, and just 14.8% in March. <h2>Hey, wait up for me, says <keyword id="23953567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="las" source="keywords">LAS</keyword></h2>In lockstep with the elder, gold loan sibling, advances against shares and bonds have also been inching up since 2022. Data from RBI (Reserve Bank of India) notes that as of September 2022, the outstanding quantum of loans that were taken against shares (LAS) and bonds stood at Rs 7,397.94 crores. This inched up to Rs 7,764 crore in September 2023. Come 2024, and it looked like this was LAS’ time to shine. Loans swiftly skyrocketed, with outstanding loans in this category going up from Rs 8,492 crore in March 2022 to a staggering Rs 9,546 crore at the end of September 2024. Naturally, the smoke of LAS has its fire in the record inflows that Indians are pouring into the stock market and mutual funds month on month. Per AMFI (<keyword id="20090034" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="association-of-mutual-funds" source="keywords">Association of Mutual Funds</keyword> in India), the net AUM (assets under management) of India’s mutual fund industry grew to Rs 67,25,614.61 crores in October 2024, up from Rs 67,09,259.24 crores in September 2024. Even the number of retail mutual fund folios, which include equity, hybrid, and solution-oriented mutual funds, burgeoned to 17,23,52,296 in October, as compared to 16,81,61,366 in September. The same goes for stock investments in India, where the number of new demat accounts that are added every month just simply refuses to climb down. As of last month, total demat accounts in the country stood at 17.9 crore, which is more than the entire population of full-fledged nations like Japan (12.45 crore), Russia (14.38 crore), and Bangladesh (17.3 crore). In fact, since February this year, the monthly growth of LAS has been hitting double digits. From 11.3% in March to 21.6% in May to 26.8% in August, growth in LAS has been exceptional, hitting 22.9% in September this year. For context, monthly growth in the LAS segment was at a mere 5% in September 2023. <h2>What's driving the growth?</h2>It's a win-win for both the bank and the customer. Customers love them because LAS is available at a lower interest rate compared to unsecured personal loans. You can get a loan at an interest rate of anywhere between 9 and 12% by pledging your gold, MF units, or shares. Compare this to over 10-28% rates, which is the range where unsecured personal loans charge interest. Banks love <keyword id="827883" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="secured-loans" source="Orion">secured loans</keyword> since they are well-secured. In case you default on paying back, the bank can sell off your gold, shares, or mutual fund units to recover the amount. This takes a lot of stress off the banks, which are already dealing with secured loans’ riskier sibling-unsecured lending. High NPAs (non-performing assets) and non-payments in the unsecured borrowing space have already put RBI on red alert, which is why the apex bank is tightening the screws on unsecured lending, which was well on its way to becoming a ticking time bomb. As a result, credit growth has moderated to 12.8% YoY in October, as against the 19.3% rise recorded in the year-ago period. Yet it's not like the banks won't feel the heat. Analysts at Nomura note that personal loan delinquencies in India that have been overdue by over 90 days rose to 5.1% in the last financial year, as opposed to just 3.9% in the year prior. <h2>How does it work?</h2>Both these loans work on a similar principle: Your loan amount is equal to a certain percentage of the actual market value of your asset. This is known as the <keyword id="20051485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ltv" source="keywords">LTV</keyword> (loan-to-value ratio). In the case of gold and debt mutual funds, RBI mandates that this LTV be about 75-80%. So, for every Rs 100 of gold or debt mutual fund unit you pledge, your maximum loan amount cannot exceed Rs 80. If you pledge gold, which has a market value of Rs 10 lakh, you can take a loan of up to Rs 8,00,000. In the case of shares and mutual fund units, this limit is set at 50%. So, your shares worth Rs 5,00,000 can only get you a loan worth Rs 2,50,000. But the bright side? You can continue earning returns on your investments and pay interest only on the amount you use, since this loan works as an overdraft facility. <h2>Super safe, you say?</h2>Interest rates on both of these loans are very much dependent on the market value of the asset, which wildly fluctuates on a day-to-day basis. So, in case the value of your asset falls, you’ll have to keep a margin or more of the same asset in order to continue with the loan and maintain the LTV balance. Failure to do so could mean the bank can even sell off your asset. Says financial planner Nema Chaya Buch. “Yes, LAS offers easy availability of funds since these loans come with a lower interest rate as compared to personal loans. Also, you continue to earn average returns of 10–13% on your equity investments. But the downside is, in case of emergency, those pledged securities cannot be sold. Also, if the equity market goes down, then the bank may ask for additional collateral. Raghvendra Nath, MD, Ladderup Wealth Management notes that taking a LAS is best when the value of your securities has appreciated significantly. “This allows you to maximize the loan amount based on your collateral while also addressing financial needs without having to liquidate your investment portfolio. However, there are notable disadvantages to consider. The market risk is significant; a substantial decline in market value could lead to margin calls, which may incur fees and charges if there are delays or prepayments, ultimately increasing the effective cost of borrowing. Furthermore, failure to make timely payments could result in the loss of your assets.”. Umesh Mohanan, ED &amp; CEO, of Indel Money, cautions that one should have a sufficient quantity of gold to get the loan amount one wants. "According to the current RBI rules, the loan applicant/borrower can draw up to 75% of the total market value of the collateral/gold jewellery. So, always carry a sufficient quantity of gold based on one’s loan requirement. “The most important thing is that the valuation of the gold depends on the purity of the gold. If the borrower pledges gold with higher purity, such as 24 carats or 22 carats, he will get the maximum loan amount," he adds.

Simply Put: Secured Loans 2.0 — why more and more Indians are turning to gold, shares and mutual funds to get loans

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mark Weinstein is a dad of three kids under 9.</li><li>He was an early investor in a social media company.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with<a target="_blank" href="https://www.markweinsteininventor.com/"> Mark Weinstein</a>, author of<a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=9208c15dd48705a079452acf43cc89670528cdbcaf041ca1cb7046d5085ecbd2&amp;postID=66fec92ee5b5408300449b37&amp;postSlug=online-privacy-expert-and-dad-shares-how-protect-kids-online-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRestoring-Our-Sanity-Online-Revolutionary%2Fdp%2F1394273967"> Restoring Our Sanity Online</a>. It has been edited for length and clarity.Back in 1998, I launched two social media companies: SuperFamily and SuperFriends. I wanted to help <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/online-games-apps-play-with-family-kids-multiplayer">connect families online</a>. Social media at that time felt so beautiful and wholesome to me.Now I'm a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-not-to-ask-chatgpt-gemini-claude-privacy-security-confidential-2024-6">privacy expert</a>, and I talk about the dangers of surveillance capitalism, where Big Tech companies make money from selling your data.I'm also a dad of three kids under 9. That's intentionally vague because I share as little information about them as possible.I have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bill-gates-limits-tech-use-for-his-kids-2018-1">strict rules for my kids</a>, friends, and family to keep my children safe online and around technology.<h2 id="3e356a0e-cce3-4e0f-ba8a-eda98eeac7cb">I never allow pictures to be posted</h2>I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-parents-shouldnt-post-back-to-school-photos-therapist-explains-2022-8">don't ever post pictures of my kids</a>. If your privacy settings are locked down, strangers might not see a lot, but social media platforms still see (and store) everything. I don't want that algorithm to be able to identify my children.When I talk with family and friends about this policy, it's a simple conversation. If I see someone taking a picture, I ask them not to post it. Sometimes, that opens a bigger conversation about why we have that rule. It has never led to friction.<h2 id="c5422b24-d221-42f4-bf10-df0b72a158cf">I rely on group texts instead</h2>For me, group texting is what social media was five years ago.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-name-a-group-chat-on-iphone">In a group text</a>, I can share a cute update about the kids or send a picture to another parent on a playdate.It's private, secure, and an effective way of building connections without the risk of exposing the kids' faces and their data (including who they spend time with) on social media.<h2 id="9ee298a9-c4db-4b12-8bce-5c2c32e7f1a7">My tots have 0 screens — not even FaceTime</h2>My two younger <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/working-mom-zero-screen-time-toddler-2023-8">children have zero screen time</a>. In fact, we don't even FaceTime with family. I think it's very unsettling for kids to see their loved ones behind a screen. Personally, I don't think toddlers are equipped to understand why their loved one (who they normally see in person) is now on the screen. I worry it can be disorienting, and I don't think the benefits of a FaceTime chat are worth the possible emotional confusion for my kids.My older child has just started using one of my two phones to text me when I'm out. That's the only thing they're allowed to use the phone for.It gives me the same sense of security that I used to have with a landline. I monitor their phone use very carefully and encourage other parents to do the same.<h2 id="e17f3bf0-a619-4c8e-bdd7-8fc28649a204">We have tech-free playdates but don't try to force our rules on others' houses</h2>When my child has friends over, we have a no-tech rule. They have so much more fun outside or doing art projects. But when my kid goes to a friend's house, I know they might be exposed to YouTube or online games.I don't try to enforce my rules at other people's houses — in the same way, my kid might get more sugary treats at a friend's than at home.Luckily, my eldest child has realized they have more fun playing offline, so I don't have to worry about too much exposure with friends.<h2 id="2dd02ff2-cbc7-47af-9734-415368e97420">I teach my kids about online privacy and critical thinking</h2>Just like I teach my children about physical privacy within the home, I talk with them about online privacy, too.I also touch on the dangers of being online. I'll say something like, "This is a new industry, and we need to figure out how to filter it so that it's right for kids." Or, "Social media can lock you inside your head and expose you to ideas you're not ready for."This language helps kids feel like they're being protected, not punished.<h2 id="d019108a-1f90-487e-bc6c-801ad4f9234f">I flip the script on sharing</h2>As kids get older, there's more opportunity for friends to tag them on social media or share pictures online.I'm not at that stage yet, but I hope to talk with my children so they're confident asking friends not to share their pictures if that's their preference. I want to create allure around being an offline kid.<h2 id="0a3e7f8e-2d05-44eb-a7d0-3f6f6c3f0501">I model tech-free time</h2>Kids do what their parents do, not what their parents say. That's why it's important to me not to use my phone or technology in front of the kids. When they're around, I keep my phone up high and well out of reach.With some practical steps, we can navigate this world of screens to keep our kids and ourselves healthy and protected online.After all, everything that's good for our kids when it comes to online privacy is also good for us.

I invested in early social media startups. After having 3 kids, here's why I never share my kids' photos online and prefer group chats instead.

Sarah Perl, who goes by the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-victory-shows-the-flagging-influence-of-mainstream-media-2024-11">TikTok</a> handle @hothighpriestess, says she has a successful career and relationship because she manifested both. Many of her recent posts focus on manifesting love, and they're particularly aimed at young women who want romantic relationships with men. The 23-year-old talks to her viewers about how they can manifest a text back from a guy within 24 hours. Sometimes she even manifests the aim of her videos: "I am manifesting that this video only reaches the people that are on the brink of the greatest up level of their entire life," she says in one post that has more than a million views.She's not just saying that to the universe; she's feeding the TikTok <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/forget-ai-algorithm-apocalypse-driving-humans-lives-data-stock-market-2024-4">algorithm</a>, which likely sends her content to other young women. To her, manifestation and the code powering TikTok are inextricably entwined. "Obviously the algorithm is going to work its magic," says Perl, who has amassed 2.5 million followers since 2020. "I view manifesting almost like the For You page: Where you put your attention is where your life will end up going." If people dwell on negative content, that's what they'll be fed. But if they like videos with a positive outlook, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-lawsuit-algorithm-children-internal-documents-revealed-2024-10">TikTok</a> may give them more.Perl, who lives in Los Angeles and also offers paid online courses on manifesting, is one of many influencers who specialize in manifestation: the new-age idea that positive thinking and visualization can bring people closer to their goals. The trend has gained traction since the height of the pandemic, but manifesting remains a broad term. It can cover meditating and journaling as part of a spiritual practice as well as posting memes about achieving great fortune. Pop stars Dua Lipa and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ariana-grande-eternal-sunshine-album-review-tracklist-breakdown-2024-3">Ariana Grande</a> have professed their beliefs in the power of manifesting.Online, the trend is owned predominantly by Gen Z women. They use social media and self-help apps and even artificial intelligence to manifest romance, financial stability, career success, and cozy homes. These are all things that for generations have felt out of reach for many young people, but perhaps none more than Gen Zers, whose high-school and college years were further destabilized by the pandemic. They're facing a glut of algorithmic-driven dating apps, a tumultuous housing market, and lots of uncertainty about the future. Some faceless TikTok accounts even encourage people to like posts or reshare their sounds in order to find love, farming engagement the way millennials once shared email chains threatening years of bad luck. One account puts affirmations on top of videos of nature; others suggest that a video's sound can help start a period of good luck. For Gen Z, the divide between the divine and the digital can be razor thin.Gen Z may be the least religious generation in American history. In a 2021 survey from the Survey Center on American Life, 34% of Gen Zers said they had no <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rise-of-godgpt-religions-christians-using-chatbots-spiritual-formation-2024-11">religious affiliation</a>, compared with 29% of millennials and 18% of baby boomers. But Amy Wu, the founder of Manifest, an app launched this summer that uses generative AI to send affirmations to its users based on their goals, says that even though more young people are turning their backs on church, they still "want to believe in something greater."So far, Wu says, nearly half of the desires people put in the app are related to love and romance. About 70% of Manifest's users are women, and most users are18 to 35. Wu says many come to the app feeling sad, mad, depressed, anxious, and lonely. She envisions Manifest as a tool to help process those feelings that are perhaps exacerbated by the digital world. Rather than doomscrolling and comparing themselves to others on social media, Manifest's users are taking part in a private experience where they're encouraged to briefly meditate."We're not a Magic 8 Ball of trying to guarantee you a certain outcome or predict the future," Wu says. "It's taking that very real concern that person might have in that moment and then giving them reassurance." For example, if someone expresses uncertainty about a crush's interest in them, Manifest might generate less-specific, more-evergreen affirmations, like "I honor and trust my feelings and intuition as I navigate this relationship," or "I am worthy of love and kindness." Young people are also turning to older platforms, reenvisioning them as places for manifestation. Gen Zers now make up Pinterest's largest cohort, accounting for about 40% of active users. Searches for "romantic manifestation," for example, have increased seventeenfold from last year, and posts related to "love scrapbooking" are up 250%. Users are also searching for financial empowerment — searches for "lots of money aesthetic" are up 953% year over year.Sydney Stanback, a global trends and insights lead at Pinterest, argues that young people using the internet to envision their futures are "bringing a new level of warmth to these platforms.""It's allowing that kind of spirituality that exists in real life to be transferred over to these spaces," Stanback says. "They're using Pinterest to craft a world in which they want to live in. And then they're going out and acting on it."Shanna Watkins sees her manifestation journey similarly. "There would be no manifesting for me, in the way that I do now that's super effective, without technology," says Watkins, a 28-year-old in Dallas who works as a public-relations and communications manager at AT&amp;T. Raised Christian, Watkins began questioning aspects of faith and eventually discovered more about manifesting on YouTube. Now she uses a personal-growth app called Mindvalley and writes affirmations in her notes app on her phone. She also says she has jotted down notes about her dreams and asked ChatGPT to analyze their content. She says she found the generative-AI chatbot's read reliable, summarizing feelings she was having that might have been represented in the dreams. Tools like this, she says, "can be another channel for my inner being and my consciousness to speak to me and send messages."The loose definition of manifesting means there are no rules or standards around it. "The whole manifestation buzzword and how it's being thrown around so loosely, I do think it can be harmful," says Emily McDonald, a mentor and coach with a large following on Instagram and TikTok who has studied neuroscience. To her, manifestation is rooted in neuroscience and about rewiring your brain to perceive a reality that's aligned with the things you want. To do so means setting intentions and visualizing outcomes — not just having a thought and expecting it to come true.There's a thin line between sharing the power positive thinking and visualization and selling a get-rich-quick scheme. Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia found that people who said they practiced manifesting were more likely to see themselves as successful and hopeful that they could achieve success in the future — but they were also more likely to seek out risky investments, to think they could reach success quickly, and even to have gone through bankruptcy.Whether or not you believe manifesting works isn't really the point. People who engage with this content on social media or use tools to manifest better futures for themselves are trying to act in a world where money and love feel out of their control. "They want support in their lowest times and even at their highest times," Wu says. "In this social media, post-COVID world, people want a sense of control in their lives." It will take more than a manifestation to attain it.<a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/amanda-hoover">Amanda Hoover</a> is a senior correspondent at Business Insider covering the tech industry. She writes about the biggest tech companies and trends.

Gen Z is obsessed with manifesting their way to riches and romance

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Gold bars and silver coins continue to show strong sales for Costco.</li><li>The company sells an estimated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-gold-bars-silver-coins-monthly-sales-wells-fargo-bullion-2024-4">$200 million per month of the metals</a>.</li></ul>Gold bars and silver coins had another quarter of strong sales for Costco.While the company didn't break out exact sales figures for the products in its third-quarter earnings call Thursday, it did say the category was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-third-quarter-wagyu-beef-fake-trees-boost-sales-2024-5">a top seller online, alongside appliances, gift cards, and e-tickets</a>.Analysts estimate the company sells around $200 million of gold and silver each month, and former CFO Richard Galanti has said the supply usually sells out "within hours."A big part of their appeal for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/3-things-costco-shoppers-should-know-before-buying-gold-bars-2024-4">professional and amateur collectors alike</a> is the fact that the bars and coins are sold at a very low markup to the metal's spot price. (Silver coins from the US Mint fetch a slight premium, since there are tax advantages to those.)But even though <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-shoppers-finding-harder-to-sell-gold-bars-than-buy-2024-4">Costco's profit on the gold and silver sales is comparatively low</a>, these high-value items are a kind of cheat code for the wholesale club that is still trying to develop its e-commerce business.Routing hundreds of millions of dollars in sales through <a target="_blank" href="http://Costco.com">Costco.com</a> is a quick way for the company to show strong e-commerce growth with relatively low risk or complicated capital investment: they simply buy a batch of gold and sell every ounce of it to members.The strategy is paying off too — digital sales for the quarter were up 20.7% over the same period last year, before Costco's gold went viral.And, since the gold and silver are member exclusives, the buzz around the metals is another way to attract new sign-ups. After all, what is a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-earnings-not-ready-increase-membership-fee-yet-2024-5">$60 membership fee</a> on a $4,000 shopping cart of gold bullion?

Gold bars and silver coins at Costco continue to be top sellers — and a cheat code for boosting its online sales

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The price of gold keeps hitting new highs and delivering <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gold-price-new-record-interest-rate-cut-recession-fears-2024-8">unusually strong gains in 2024</a>.</li><li>Profits are nice, but the cost of storing and protecting physical gold can offset some returns.</li></ul>In the 2003 remake of the classic heist film "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317740/">The Italian Job</a>," a crew of thieves set about retrofitting their Mini Cooper hatchbacks to survive the rigors of a police pursuit while hauling nearly a ton of gold in the boot.The target of the heist was a $35 million stash of bullion bars, which by one <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cliffsnotes.com/tutors-problems/Computer-Science/58787606--In-the-movie-The-Italian-Job-a-gang-of-robbers-plan-to-steal/">estimate</a> works out to about 274 bars, or 65 in each of three vehicles at the average spot price for that year.Two decades later, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spot-gold-record-price-fed-interest-rate-cuts-safe-haven-2024-8">price of gold has skyrocketed</a> to a recent all-time high of $2,500, meaning that each one of the gold bars depicted in the film would be worth $1 million.In other words, the crew's haul would be worth more than a quarter billion dollars today if they went after the same 274 bars, or if they only wanted the $35 million, they would only need one car carrying a mere half ton of gold.For the high-net-worth individual interested in living out the silver screen fantasy of holding a 400-ounce gold brick in their hands, there are several companies that will help make that happen.Stephen Flood, director and co-founder of GoldCore, a precious metals services company headquartered in Ireland, told Business Insider his company has provided the experience to several clients who want to take delivery of their bullion investment."There, you're in the realm of armored cars — even for a single bar," he said. "It's not the sort of thing you'd want to put in the post."Most of the time these large-format bars never leave the storage vaults where they're kept under meticulous security, he said. Instead, whenever a bar is sold, it is moved between various shelves and locations within the vaults that correspond to its new owner.The expenses associated with storing and protecting physical gold can add up quickly, which in normal times can offset its increase in value.But for the ultra-wealthy, that's not the biggest concern.Jonathan Da Silva, a trader with Kitco Metals, told BI that ultra-rich bullion buyers have "excess" monetary wealth that they're seeking to convert into something more durable and less risky."The gold bullion market of course offers much tighter spreads than other alternative asset markets like sports memorabilia or high end jewelry, art, or automobiles for example," he said.<div type="image" title="An employee shows an ingot of 99.99 percent pure gold at Russia's leading gold refining and bar manufacturing plant, in Novosibirsk, Russia." height="1666" width="2500" msid="112972401" hostid="261" sizebytes="107622"></div>There's basically no guesswork when it comes to pure gold.Plus, keeping one's gold pile in the same (often Swiss) vault as other investors, institutions, and central banks also makes the investment more liquid in an emergency, since the physical item can change hands in a matter of minutes — no need to hunt around for a trustworthy buyer and schedule an armored car.Flood also said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gold-price-all-time-high-fed-rate-cuts-trump-presidency-2024-7">the run-up in price</a> has also made kilogram bars a more attractive format, since those now run about $80,000 each.Long-term holders of gold typically don't intend to sell, and in the unlikely event they have to, "when are you going to need to liquidate $1 million?" he said.Setting aside this year's unusual 22% gain, gold tends not to be all that remarkable of an investment vehicle. And if returns are the goal, there are plenty of financial derivatives for investors to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/how-to-invest-in-gold">get exposure to gold's market performance</a> without the trouble of owning the physical metal itself.If you think of financial markets as a giant casino, says Genesis Gold Group Jacob Diaz, owning the actual metal is akin to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/asked-financial-planner-tips-investing-gold-2024-7">taking some of your chips off the table</a>."You put them in your pocket and you know that no matter what, I'm not going to lose this," he said.Diaz said this tends to amount to roughly 5%-20% of a person's net-worth represented in precious metals, depending on their circumstances. Flood's estimate was around 10%.That's part of what makes gold more popular among those who already have a great deal of wealth to preserve, like Gen X and Boomers, than it does among younger generations still trying to grow their wealth in the first place.After all, financial risk and reward go hand in hand, and there are few ways to have significant upside potential without also having exposure to the downside.And gold bullion investors — especially those in a position to buy 400 ounces at once — are more concerned with long-term risk.

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