Game-Changer for MSMEs: RBI Unlocks Gold Loans Beyond Jewellers, Tweaks Business Loan Rules

The Reserve Bank of India has issued fresh directions that reshape loan pricing rules and expand the use of gold for business borrowing.

How many small shopkeepers in 2024 stood outside banks wondering why loan papers looked so complex? Many were told gold could not be pledged unless they were jewellers. Now the Reserve Bank of India has changed the script. 

On 30 September 2025, the central bank issued new directions that adjust loan spread rules and extend gold-backed lending to more businesses. These rules were reported in the RBI’s September 2025 notification and also covered by Reuters in its economy desk update.

RBI New Rules For Small Business Loans In India

The Reserve Bank of India issued a circular on 30 September 2025 under its regulatory review. The report stated that banks will now get more freedom in adjusting spreads on business loans. 

Earlier, all spread elements including the credit risk spread were locked for three years. This slowed the pass-through of rate cuts. Now, only the credit risk spread remains fixed for three years. Other parts of the spread, such as operational costs and margins, can be lowered earlier for the benefit of borrowers.

At every reset, the borrower will also have the right to switch from floating rate to fixed rate. This was not part of earlier norms. The new option is expected to help small firms who face uncertainty when interest rates rise sharply.

The following table gives a quick view of how the new spread rules will apply:
 

Source

These changes may look narrow but for small units borrowing at thin margins, even a small rate change means easier survival.

Gold-Backed Lending Guidelines Updated By RBI

The Reserve Bank also moved on lending against gold. A circular released on 11 July 2025 clarified that loans sanctioned to agriculture and MSME borrowers, where gold or silver is pledged voluntarily, will not break collateral-free norms. This circular was part of the RBI/2025-26/66 report.

Earlier, collateral-free limits often created confusion. Farmers or small traders thought pledging gold would cancel their eligibility for collateral-free status. The July circular removed this doubt.

In the September notification, the regulator expanded working capital credit against gold. Banks are now free to lend to any business that uses gold as raw material, not only jewellers. This means units in handicrafts, small ornaments and traditional craft sectors will also qualify.

The table below captures the new loan-to-value ratios and appraisal rules:
 

This graded model is designed to give smaller borrowers more credit without heavy paperwork. It is also expected to bring down informal borrowing where gold is often used as pledge.

Reserve Bank Of India Changes In MSME Loan Rules And Past Coverage

The current policy move fits into a broader pattern of RBI action in 2025. Earlier in February 2025, the RBI partially rolled back strict rules on micro-credit and non-bank lenders following feedback, particularly from rural borrowers who had objected to heavy documentation burdens.

Then, in April 2025, the RBI issued draft proposals suggesting a uniform 75 per cent loan-to-value ratio for MSME loans and stricter end-use checks. Those proposals drew sharp criticism from industry and lenders.

Our earlier article in LoansJagat discussed how the RBI was intending to reform MSME lending norms, laying out the proposed rules and the reactions in detail. 

The following table shows how RBI’s position has shifted in the year 2025:
 

This timeline explains how rules are not static but evolve after feedback and consultation.

Impact Of RBI Gold Lending Expansion On Small Businesses

The expansion is expected to reshape credit for rural and semi-urban units. A farmer with ₹2 lakh worth of gold can now receive up to ₹1.7 lakh loan without appraisal. Earlier, such a loan often needed lengthy paperwork or was denied. Now, small traders and craft units have a new tool to raise working capital.

Reuters reported in April 2025 that gold-backed loans had surged by 30 per cent between September 2024 and February 2025. This raised concerns about risk exposure. The RBI’s latest approach tries to balance growth with prudence. It keeps higher loans under tighter checks but opens space for smaller borrowers.

Here is how access has changed:
 

This broader access could reduce reliance on moneylenders and bring more borrowing into the formal banking system.

Conclusion

The Reserve Bank of India’s September 2025 report on loan pricing and gold-based lending marks another stage in the credit journey. The new rules give banks flexibility, borrowers options, and MSMEs wider access to gold loans. Past policies were often rigid, but recent shifts show more balance between control and growth.

These rules may not solve every credit problem for small businesses. But they open space where gold, the most trusted household asset in India, becomes a fair tool for formal borrowing. The coming months will show how banks put these rules into practice and how far the changes help India’s small enterprises.
 

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