Physical Gold vs Digital Gold for Akshaya Tritiya 2026
| Feature | Physical Gold Coin | Digital Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum purchase | 0.5g (~ā¹5,100) | ā¹1 |
| GST | 3% | 3% |
| Making / spread | 0.5ā3% on coin | 0% MMTC-PAMP, 0.5% SafeGold |
| Storage | Home or bank locker | Insured vault, free up to 5ā7 years |
| Insurance | Bank locker does NOT cover jewelry | Fully insured 1:1 physical backing |
| Liquidity | Resell at jeweler (85ā95% of pure value) | App sell-back in hours, 1ā2% spread |
| Convertible to coin? | Already physical | Yes, delivery + making charge applies |
| Tax on gains | Same as digital gold | Same as physical gold |
| Regulator | BIS hallmark | Trustee model (SEBI petition pending) |
Verdict For small purchases (<ā¹25,000) digital gold wins. No making charge, easier storage. For large purchases (>ā¹1 lakh) split: token physical coin for ritual, rest digital or SGB.