Buying gold for ₹100 on an app? Read the fine print

Open any payment app. You can buy Gold for just ₹100!
Convenient? Absolutely.

But here's what that ₹100 screen doesn't tell you!

In November 2025, SEBI cautioned that digital gold is outside SEBI's regulatory framework and doesn't get the investor-protection mechanisms available to regulated securities.

And then there's the cost.
You typically have:
3% GST + buy/sell spread + possible storage/delivery charges.
That spread can be significant!
So you could buy gold today and immediately find that your selling price is lower, even before considering how gold itself moves.

Compare that with Gold ETFs or Gold Mutual Funds.
They have costs too, but their cost structures are disclosed within the SEBI-regulated framework.

So, before buying digital gold, ask:
Who holds the gold?
Where is it stored?
What are the total buy/sell costs?

Because:
₹100 makes digital gold feel cheap.
The investment isn't necessarily cheap.
Digital gold isn't necessarily a scam.
But convenient doesn't automatically mean efficient.
Look beyond the grams on your screen.

Are you looking to invest in Gold? What is your preferred mode of investment?