
Top NBFCs Flag Early Signs of Stress in India's Fast-Growing Gold Loan Market
What Happened?
India's gold loan market has surged, with bank loans rising 83% to Rs 5.6 trillion. However, Bajaj Finance and Piramal Finance have raised concerns about potential risks in this sector.
Key points
- Bank loans against gold rose 83% year-on-year to Rs 5.6 trillion in August 2026.
- Non-bank lenders saw a 69% increase in gold loans to Rs 3.6 trillion during the same period.
- Bajaj Finance reported an increase in overdue loans and has stopped offering short-term gold loans.
- Piramal Finance highlighted that 35% of its customers have gold loans from other institutions.
- Concerns about repayment capacity are emerging as gold-backed borrowing rises.
Key insights
- The rapid growth in gold loans may lead to increased scrutiny of borrowers' financial health.
- Bajaj Finance's decision to halt short-term gold loans could signal a shift in lending strategies.
- Piramal Finance's findings suggest a potential risk of over-leveraging among borrowers.
Why it matters
The growth in gold loans could impact borrowers' repayment abilities, raising concerns for lenders.
Tags
Entities
Source
India Today

