Supportive
Gold loans have done well but here’s how India’s small businesses could exploit the idea’s potential
India's vast household gold stock can fuel MSME growth if a “jewellery valuation and custody management-as-a-service” model is implemented. This phygital infrastructure must respect cultural ties, offering revolving credit and addressing banks’ valuation and traceability risks. By separating specialized activities via third-party providers, using advanced tech like RFID, and potentially licensed entities, gold-backed lending can scale. This unlocks idle capital, enabling MSMEs to access crucial funds while honoring traditional values, transforming heirlooms into a dynamic economic catalyst.
LiveMint · Ramkumar R S, Aditya Iyer · May 14, 2026 at 10:30 AM