25,000 Tonnes of Gold. Muthoot Sees It as India's Biggest Untapped Opportunity.

Key Insights 

1. There has been an unprecedented 30%-35% increase in gold loans across all companies in India from June 2024 to June 2025.

2. George Alexander Muthoot, Joint Managing Director of Muthoot Finance, has stated that there are around 25,000 tonnes of unused gold in India, which has been termed a dead asset.

India's Gold Is Sitting Idle. Muthoot Wants to Change That.

There are about 28,000 tonnes of gold in the Indian market, including NBFCs and banks, which together hold less than 2,000 tonnes of the organised gold loans. 

The rest of the gold people are not being used, and that gap represents a massive potential opportunity for the gold loan industry. 

Gold prices climbed to ₹1,60,540 per 10 grams, and with the RBI capping gold loan LTV at 75% in 2026.

The same amount of jewellery now secures a higher loan amount for borrowers than it did even a year ago.

George Alexander Muthoot, Managing Director of Muthoot Finance, said the current market dynamics have changed; now, gold is not just a passive reserve but an active financial asset. 

He advised borrowers to use this period of high valuation for debt consolidation or business expansion. 

Rising gold prices mean existing borrowers can unlock more credit against the same gold in the short term. 

If your awareness of gold loans as a financial tool has increased, you can see India's vast informal gold holdings over the longer term. 

A sharp gold price correction would reduce collateral values and shrink loan books.

India's Gold Loan Market: Size, Growth, and Untapped Potential

The table helps you understand how large India's gold loan market has become and how much room it still has to grow, according to Muthoot's commentary.
 

That is not just corporate success. It reflects the scale of economic activity that gold-backed credit is now generating across India.

Why Millions of Ordinary Indians Are Turning to Gold Loans

Now you can see gold is not just jewellery for households across India. It is a savings instrument passed across generations. 

Gold loan NBFCs can play an important role in meeting the needs of small borrowers and addressing their working capital requirements, according to Muthoot. 

When a small trader needs working capital before the festival season, it is true that gold is often faster and simpler than a bank loan.

Muthoot Finance has proposed extending UPI linkage to NBFCs, released an offer for indian people which shows a secured credit line to common households. 

It is not like a credit cards that carry interest rates of around 36%, gold-backed credit lines could charge between 12% and 18%.

This is a structural improvement that would bring millions more into the formal credit net.

Experts Say Gold Loans Are Becoming a Mainstream Financial Tool

Competition is growing day by day in the gold loan sector. Bain Capital agreed to pay about $500 million for an 18% stake in Manappuram Finance. 

Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group also entered the space, reflecting global institutional confidence in India's gold lending model. 

These are not bets. They are strategic commitments from some of the world's most influential investors.

Muthoot Finance has also recommended granting priority sector status to all micro gold loans under ₹50,000, irrespective of whether provided by banks or NBFCs. 

This would expand financial inclusion at the ground level and bring more of India's gold into the formal economy. 

Regulatory support for this proposal could meaningfully accelerate the penetration of gold loans in underserved regions.

Conclusion

India’s gold loan business segment is no longer a conventional one. This can be evidenced by 25,000 tons of unutilised gold reserves and rising prices, which empower borrowers to negotiate better. It positions itself for long-term growth due to regulatory backing, increased fintech involvement, and continuous financial literacy.

FAQs

Who is George Muthoot? How did the chairman of the Muthoot group pass away in Delhi?

Mathai George (M.G.) George Muthoot was an Indian tycoon and Chairman of The Muthoot Group, which is India’s biggest gold-based NBFC.

How do you take out a gold loan at Muthoot Finance?

Taking a gold loan with Muthoot Finance is an easy and fast process. All you have to do is take your gold along with your KYC documents to the nearest branch, get your jewellery valued, and sign the loan papers to secure your loan either through cash or bank account credit.