In a market that is constantly volatile one thing that has remained constant when it comes to investment is gold. Since gold is both an investment and a necessity for Indians, the gold market in India is vast. You must have heard that factors like high liquidity or inflation-protected capacity make gold a reliable choice for investors.
While it is important to know that gold investment promises some sort of stability and impressive returns, you must also understand that as the market has evolved gold investment can be done in different ways. So let’s talk about gold investment in today's time to help you make an informed decision.
How to Invest in Gold?
To begin with, one challenge that investors often face is how to invest in gold. Now remember that there is always an option to invest in gold in the traditional way, that is, purchasing physical gold from a jeweller, you must also explore modern options like gold ETFs, gold mutual funds, digital gold, sovereign gold bonds, gold investment plans, etc.
To give you an idea of the different types of gold investment options you have, here’s a table:
Gold
| Gold Funds
| Gold ETFs or Gold Exchange Traded Funds
|
This is a more traditional way of investing in physical gold like purchasing jewellery etc.
| Investing in gold funds is like investing in bullions or companies that are involved in gold mining rather than purchasing physical gold.
| Investing in gold ETFs is like purchasing gold equivalent to the amount you have invested but not in its physical form.
|
Investing in physical gold does not require you to have a trading or a demat account.
| Investing in gold funds does not require you to have a demat or a trading account.
| To invest in gold ETFs you need to have a demat and trading account.
|
Physical gold comes with the risk of theft, loss or damage.
| Since gold funds are not physically available there is no risk of theft, loss or damage.
| Gold ETFs are free from the risk of theft, loss or damage.
|
Investing in physical gold does not come with additional charges apart from what you pay for purchasing physical gold.
| Investing in gold funds comes with management charges.
| Gold ETFs come with an additional charge associated with its management and brokerage charges levied by your broking platform.
|
The value of physical gold is directly proportional to market fluctuations.
| Gold funds are not impacted by the change in gold prices.
| Gold ETFs are directly impacted by the gold prices.
|
Investing in physical gold does not require you to go through the hassle of paperwork.
| Investing in gold funds requires you to undergo minimal paperwork.
| Gold ETFs require you to perform minimal paperwork and documentation.
|
What are Sovereign Gold Bonds?
An alternative to physical gold that has gained wide popularity in the country is sovereign gold bonds. These are government securities denominated in grams of gold that are issued to you in the form of certificates rather than physical gold.
Since the Reserve Bank of India issues sovereign gold bonds on behalf of the government of India, they are considered safe. Additionally investing in sovereign gold bonds promises the payment of 2.50% interest per annum.
Here’s everything you need to know about sovereign gold bonds:
Sovereign gold bonds come in the form of certificates issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the government of India. So when you invest in sovereign gold bonds you get these certificates rather than physical gold.
Sovereign gold bonds are denominated in grams of gold starting from the base unit: 1 gram.
Sovereign gold bonds allow a maximum investment of money that is equivalent to 4 Kg of gold.
Sovereign gold bonds come with a tenure of eight years. However, you are allowed to exit from the fifth year.
What Documents Do You Need to Invest in Gold?
Before you decide to invest in gold you need to stay updated with the changes in documentation requirements for gold investments.
Here’s a list of the requisites and documents that you need to fulfil for gold investments:
If you are purchasing physical gold for an amount exceeding ₹2,00,000 then you need to have a PAN card.
If you are investing in gold ETFs then you need to have a demat account and a trading account.
If you are investing in sovereign gold bonds then you need to first complete your KYC through your Aadhaar, voter ID, passport or PAN card.
Why Should You Prefer Investing in Gold?
As a beginner looking for safe investment options you must have received the advice to put your money in gold. Gold investments, over the years, have remained constant and there are different reasons why investors prefer investing in gold.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons:
Liquidity
One of the biggest reasons to make investment is to ensure liquidity in future for any emergency or planned needs. This is where gold proves beneficial for investors as it promises liquidity. This is to say that selling or redeeming gold is simple and mostly does not come with additional charges.
Profitable Returns
Another key aspect of making an investment is to get stable and profitable returns. Market experts believe that the price of gold is not falling down anytime soon, and as the prices increase, the gold value also increases over the years.
Safety
Options like gold ETFs, gold bonds or digital gold investment have become safer as there is no threat of theft, loss or damage. These types of gold investments are secure and mostly insured by the seller.
Inflation-Protected Asset
Gold investment is considered a smart choice because gold is an inflation-protected asset. This means that even when the country's purchasing power is declining, the value of gold does not suffer like other assets.
Additionally Read - How to Buy Gold Bonds Online?
Conclusion
Investment in any type of asset comes with its pros and cons that need to be evaluated carefully to ensure that the investment is aligned with your goals. When it comes to gold investment, it is time to explore alternatives to physical gold like ETFs, gold funds or digital gold.
Remember that since gold is considered an inflation-protected asset that promises liquidity, even professional investors continue to put their money in gold, thus ensuring that the demand and value for gold does not go down anytime soon.
Make sure to perform due diligence before making an investment decision.