Akshaya Tritiya 2026: 5 key things to know before investing in gold this year

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 of Roongta Securities, and Shweta Rajani, head of Mutual Funds from Anand Rathi Wealth, have provided 5 essential tips for investing in gold during this festive occasion.

1) Treat gold as an investment, not just tradition

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As per Harshvardhan Roongta, even though Akshaya Tritiya has always been associated with owning gold in its physical form as a symbol of prosperity, today’s investor must look at it from the angle of portfolio investment and not just buying it.

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

According to Shweta Rajani, although physical gold has its own sentimental and cultural significance, there are many investment opportunities for modern-day investors such as Gold ETFs, gold mutual funds, and even sovereign gold bonds.

She highlighted that only Gold ETFs have witnessed massive increases in asset management in the last few years because of changes in investor behaviour. This behaviour change is towards the purchase of jewellery since it involves making charges, logistics, and liquidity problems.

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.

According to Roongta, while gold has performed exceptionally well recently, with an estimated 65 per cent return during the last one year, this is not expected to continue in the future. Long-term returns from gold investments typically follow the inflation rate, usually ranging between 7 per cent and 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 also stressed the need for gold to form a certain percentage of the total portfolio. She advised the investors to view gold as a stable investment but not as an investment for growth.

According to her, investors must settle on a certain amount (usually between 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the total portfolio) which they will follow throughout. Equities give high returns in the long run, while the fixed deposits offer stability, and the gold is in-between.

The same advice was echoed by Roongta when he said that for those investors whose period was up to 20 years, they could have 70-80 per cent of their investment in equities with the rest divided into debts 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

According to Harshvardhan Rongta, although customs like buying on Akshaya Tritiya need to be maintained, they cannot take precedence over sensible investment planning. A minor purchase such as a single gram of gold would maintain the custom without disturbing financial planning.

He again emphasised that gold must not be allocated excessively in portfolios and that no one should go 'all in' on any investment category.

According to Shweta Rajani, if investors do not find gold to be a good investment option, stocks can also be considered as an effective substitute for generating wealth.

With Akshaya Tritiya 2026 just around the corner, what most financial experts seem to agree on is that gold does have a place in portfolios—provided it is purchased after due consideration of its cost and risks.