It would be an understatement to say that gold has had a remarkable year as an investment. After soaring over 57% in 2025 till October, prices briefly stabilised. On October 7, gold crossed the $4,000 mark for the first time ever, hitting an all-time high of $4,380 on October 17 before a brief 10% correction. Now, it’s again back above $4,000.

According to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends Q3 2025 report, central banks added a net 220 tonnes of gold in the third quarter alone, a 28% jump from the previous quarter.

Unsurprisingly, fintech startups are racing towards the gold rush. The likes of Paytm, Jio FInancial Services, InCred Money, Jar, DigiGold, Gullak, IndiaGold, Jupiter among dozens of others are looking to tap into the gold frenzy through digital coins. Some started before others, but the core idea behind these platforms is the same — offer consumers a way to invest in gold without them directly buying and storing gold.

InCred Money, Paytm and Jio Financial Services most recently launched major campaigns for digital gold in partnership with various regulated entities. JFS’ ‘Jio Gold 24K Days” offer even allowed customers to start investing in gold with as little as INR 10, similar to the proposition by Jar.

Even fantasy sports platforms Dream11 and WinZo have joined the bandwagon, after the ban on real money gaming, offering digital gold among other investments.

The New Gold Rush

According to fintech experts, the digital gold space is not strictly regulated, which explains why a lot of players have jumped on to this gold rush. The only regulated products are gold ETFs and electronic gold receipts (EGRs), but these are not exactly suitable for non-savvy investors.

On the other hand, digital gold as an offering is extremely enticing for customers, since it brings steady returns and has relatively no risk of actually storing gold. Platforms have made it trivially simple to invest in digital gold, with little to no friction in user onboarding.

By allowing users to buy gold for as little as INR 10, platforms create a low-friction entry point that builds a habit. This entry point can then be used to sell other products. In contrast, gold ETFs which are safer and regulated, but not as simple.

They require KYC, brokerage, and demat accounts, which adds a lot of friction for first-time or low-ticket investors. Plus, there’s the fact that most retail users don’t fully understand ETF pricing or market hours.

Digital gold solves this........

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