Akshaya Tritiya 2026: As Akshaya Tritiya approaches in 2026, investors are once again turning their attention to gold—an asset deeply rooted in Indian tradition and sentiment. However, financial experts increasingly emphasise that gold buying today is no longer just a cultural ritual, but a portfolio decision that must be made with clarity, discipline, and long-term strategy.
In a conversation with Zee Business, Harshvardhan Roongta, CFP at Roongta Securities and Shweta Rajani, Head, Mutual Funds at Anand Rathi Wealth, shared 5 key insights on how investors should approach gold this festive occasion.
1. Treat gold as an investment, not just tradition
Harshvardhan Roongta highlighted that while Akshaya Tritiya has historically been associated with purchasing physical gold as a symbol of prosperity, the modern investor should view it through the lens of asset allocation rather than ritual buying.
He noted that earlier generations primarily bought physical gold or silver due to sentiment and lack of alternatives. However, over the last 3–5 years, ‘paper gold’ products such as Gold ETFs, gold funds, and sovereign gold bonds have gained strong acceptance.
According to him, the convenience, storage benefits, and ease of transaction have made digital gold increasingly popular, especially for investors making smaller, systematic allocations even during festive occasions.
2. Choose the right form: Physical vs digital gold
Shweta Rajani emphasised that while physical gold carries emotional and cultural value, investors today have multiple options, including Gold ETFs, gold mutual funds, and sovereign gold bonds.
She pointed out that Gold ETFs alone have seen significant growth in assets under management in recent years, reflecting a shift in investor behaviour. The preference is moving away from jewellery purchases due to making charges, storage issues, and liquidity concerns.
Rajani advised that investors should clearly understand their objective. If the goal is pure investment, digital gold options are generally more efficient. However, if the purchase is symbolic or occasional, even small quantities of physical gold may still be considered.
3. Avoid making decisions based on past returns
Both experts strongly cautioned against investing in gold simply because of its recent strong performance.
Roongta warned that gold has delivered unusually high returns in the short term, with approximately 65 per cent returns in the past year, but such performance should not be extrapolated into the future. He stressed that long-term gold returns tend to align closer to inflation, historically around 7–8 per cent.
He added that investors expecting equity-like returns from gold based on recent rallies may be making a significant mistake. Allocation decisions should be based on long-term portfolio strategy, not recent price momentum.
4. Maintain disciplined portfolio allocation
Rajani emphasised the importance of maintaining gold as a defined portion of a diversified portfolio. She explained that investors should treat gold as a stabilising asset rather than a growth engine.
According to her guidance, investors should decide an allocation—commonly 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the overall portfolio, depending on risk profile—and stick to it consistently. Equity, she noted, tends to deliver higher long-term returns, while fixed deposits provide stability, and gold sits between the two in terms of volatility and return potential.
Roongta reinforced this view, suggesting that investors with a long-term horizon of 20 years could consider allocating 70–80 per cent to equities, with the remaining portion distributed between debt and gold.
5. Be cautious of festive schemes and hidden costs
Rajani issued a strong warning about festive-season marketing schemes offered by jewellers, such as price-lock offers, zero-making-charge schemes, or EMI-based payment plans.
She explained that such offers often include hidden costs like administrative fees, interest charges, or conditions that are not immediately visible to buyers. Investors may end up focusing only on the gold price while overlooking the total cost of ownership.
Rajani advised comparing multiple options carefully—across jewellers and investment products—and also considering digital alternatives like Gold ETFs before making a purchase decision.
Final takeaway: Balance tradition with financial discipline
Summarising the key insights, Harshvardhan Rongta stated that while cultural traditions like Akshaya Tritiya buying should be respected, they should not override rational investment planning. Even a small purchase—such as one gram of gold—can preserve tradition without disrupting financial discipline.
He reiterated that gold should not be over-allocated in portfolios and that investors should avoid going ‘all in’ on any single asset class.
Shweta Rajani added that if investors are not convinced about gold as an investment, equities remain a strong alternative for long-term wealth creation.
As Akshaya Tritiya 2026 approaches, experts agree on one point: gold still has a place in portfolios—but only when bought with a clear purpose, proper allocation, and full awareness of costs and risks.
