Gold has always been a trusted asset for Indian households — whether as jewellery, coins, or bars — but in recent years, it has also emerged as a core financial asset in investment portfolios.

Why? Because gold has proven to:
In today’s world, you don’t need to buy and store physical gold to benefit from its value. Gold Mutual Funds offer a simple, transparent, and accessible way to invest in gold without the hassles of storage or purity concerns.
Let’s explore why gold funds are popular, how taxation works, the top-performing funds in India, and whether now is the right time to invest.
Indians have a deep cultural connection with gold — weddings, festivals, and rituals reinforce this timeless demand. But the shift from physical gold to gold mutual funds is accelerating because of the following advantages:
How they work:
For small-ticket investors, this is one of the most cost-efficient and systematic ways to benefit from gold’s potential.
Gold Mutual Funds are taxed as non-Equity Funds, meaning their tax rules differ from equity mutual funds:
Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG): If redeemed within 36 months, gains are taxed as per your income tax slab.
Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG): If held for more than 36 months, gains are taxed at a flat 20% with indexation benefit (updated as per the Finance Act, 2024).
This makes gold funds particularly attractive for long-term investors, as indexation significantly reduces tax liability compared to physical gold.
Fund selection Methodology used to Select 8 Best Gold Funds
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Fund NAV Net Assets (Cr) 3 MO (%) 6 MO (%) 1 YR (%) 3 YR (%) 5 YR (%) 2024 (%) SBI Gold Fund Growth ₹39.1715
↓ -0.74 ₹9,324 15.5 38.9 73.3 33.2 20.4 19.6 IDBI Gold Fund Growth ₹34.8323
↓ -0.82 ₹524 15.9 38.3 73.7 33.2 20.4 18.7 Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund Growth ₹38.9683
↓ -0.75 ₹1,136 15.8 39.1 73.8 33 20.2 18.7 Nippon India Gold Savings Fund Growth ₹51.2399
↓ -0.86 ₹4,849 15.9 38.7 73.1 33 20.2 19 HDFC Gold Fund Growth ₹40.0681
↓ -0.67 ₹7,633 15.7 38.9 73 33 20.3 18.9 ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund Growth ₹41.3783
↓ -0.90 ₹3,987 15.1 38.5 72.9 32.8 20.2 19.5 Axis Gold Fund Growth ₹38.7952
↓ -0.76 ₹1,954 15.2 38 71.7 32.8 20.3 19.2 Kotak Gold Fund Growth ₹51.2235
↓ -0.85 ₹4,811 15.9 38.2 72.2 32.5 20 18.9 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Research Highlights & Commentary of 8 Funds showcased
Commentary SBI Gold Fund IDBI Gold Fund Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund Nippon India Gold Savings Fund HDFC Gold Fund ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund Axis Gold Fund Kotak Gold Fund Point 1 Highest AUM (₹9,324 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹524 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹1,136 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹4,849 Cr). Top quartile AUM (₹7,633 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹3,987 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹1,954 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹4,811 Cr). Point 2 Oldest track record among peers (14 yrs). Established history (13+ yrs). Established history (13+ yrs). Established history (14+ yrs). Established history (14+ yrs). Established history (14+ yrs). Established history (14+ yrs). Established history (14+ yrs). Point 3 Rating: 2★ (top quartile). Not Rated. Top rated. Rating: 2★ (upper mid). Rating: 1★ (upper mid). Rating: 1★ (lower mid). Rating: 1★ (lower mid). Rating: 1★ (bottom quartile). Point 4 Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Point 5 5Y return: 20.40% (top quartile). 5Y return: 20.42% (top quartile). 5Y return: 20.21% (lower mid). 5Y return: 20.15% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 20.28% (upper mid). 5Y return: 20.22% (lower mid). 5Y return: 20.26% (upper mid). 5Y return: 19.96% (bottom quartile). Point 6 3Y return: 33.21% (top quartile). 3Y return: 33.19% (top quartile). 3Y return: 33.02% (upper mid). 3Y return: 32.97% (upper mid). 3Y return: 32.95% (lower mid). 3Y return: 32.84% (lower mid). 3Y return: 32.77% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 32.52% (bottom quartile). Point 7 1Y return: 73.29% (upper mid). 1Y return: 73.71% (top quartile). 1Y return: 73.82% (top quartile). 1Y return: 73.05% (upper mid). 1Y return: 73.03% (lower mid). 1Y return: 72.93% (lower mid). 1Y return: 71.75% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 72.18% (bottom quartile). Point 8 1M return: 6.30% (upper mid). 1M return: 6.46% (upper mid). 1M return: 6.56% (top quartile). 1M return: 6.23% (lower mid). 1M return: 6.48% (top quartile). 1M return: 6.19% (lower mid). 1M return: 6.00% (bottom quartile). 1M return: 6.05% (bottom quartile). Point 9 Alpha: 0.00 (top quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (top quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.00 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Alpha: 0.00 (lower mid). Alpha: 0.00 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 0.00 (bottom quartile). Point 10 Sharpe: 3.54 (lower mid). Sharpe: 3.44 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 3.57 (upper mid). Sharpe: 3.61 (top quartile). Sharpe: 3.54 (lower mid). Sharpe: 3.47 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 3.58 (upper mid). Sharpe: 3.76 (top quartile). SBI Gold Fund
IDBI Gold Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund
Nippon India Gold Savings Fund
HDFC Gold Fund
ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund
Axis Gold Fund
Kotak Gold Fund
Gold Funds having AUM/Net Assets > 25 Crore ordered based on 3 year Calendar year returns.
All the funds mentioned above are ideal, we are giving you detailed analysis of 5 funds.
The scheme seeks to provide returns that closely correspond to returns provided by SBI - ETF Gold (Previously known as SBI GETS). Research Highlights for SBI Gold Fund Below is the key information for SBI Gold Fund Returns up to 1 year are on The investment objective of the Scheme will be to generate returns that correspond closely to the returns generated by IDBI Gold Exchange Traded Fund (IDBI GOLD ETF). Research Highlights for IDBI Gold Fund Below is the key information for IDBI Gold Fund Returns up to 1 year are on An Open ended Fund of Funds Scheme with the investment objective to provide returns that tracks returns provided by Birla Sun Life Gold ETF (BSL Gold ETF). Research Highlights for Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund Below is the key information for Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund Returns up to 1 year are on The investment objective of the Scheme is to seek to provide returns that closely correspond to returns provided by Reliance ETF Gold BeES. Research Highlights for Nippon India Gold Savings Fund Below is the key information for Nippon India Gold Savings Fund Returns up to 1 year are on To seek capital appreciation by investing in units of HDFC Gold Exchange Traded Fund (HGETF). Research Highlights for HDFC Gold Fund Below is the key information for HDFC Gold Fund Returns up to 1 year are on 1. SBI Gold Fund
SBI Gold Fund
Growth Launch Date 12 Sep 11 NAV (30 Dec 25) ₹39.1715 ↓ -0.74 (-1.85 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹9,324 on 30 Nov 25 Category Gold - Gold AMC SBI Funds Management Private Limited Rating ☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 0.3 Sharpe Ratio 3.54 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-1 Years (1%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 30 Nov 20 ₹10,000 30 Nov 21 ₹9,698 30 Nov 22 ₹10,538 30 Nov 23 ₹12,397 30 Nov 24 ₹14,960 30 Nov 25 ₹24,267 Returns for SBI Gold Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.3% 3 Month 15.5% 6 Month 38.9% 1 Year 73.3% 3 Year 33.2% 5 Year 20.4% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 10% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 19.6% 2023 14.1% 2022 12.6% 2021 -5.7% 2020 27.4% 2019 22.8% 2018 6.4% 2017 3.5% 2016 10% 2015 -8.1% Fund Manager information for SBI Gold Fund
Name Since Tenure Raviprakash Sharma 12 Sep 11 14.23 Yr. Data below for SBI Gold Fund as on 30 Nov 25
Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.55% Other 98.45% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity SBI Gold ETF
- | -100% ₹9,323 Cr 864,580,590
↑ 43,695,502 Treps
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -0% ₹42 Cr Net Receivable / Payable
CBLO | -0% -₹42 Cr 2. IDBI Gold Fund
IDBI Gold Fund
Growth Launch Date 14 Aug 12 NAV (30 Dec 25) ₹34.8323 ↓ -0.82 (-2.30 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹524 on 30 Nov 25 Category Gold - Gold AMC IDBI Asset Management Limited Rating Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 0.64 Sharpe Ratio 3.44 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 500 Exit Load 0-12 Months (1%),12 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 30 Nov 20 ₹10,000 30 Nov 21 ₹9,703 30 Nov 22 ₹10,588 30 Nov 23 ₹12,417 30 Nov 24 ₹14,975 30 Nov 25 ₹24,232 Returns for IDBI Gold Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.5% 3 Month 15.9% 6 Month 38.3% 1 Year 73.7% 3 Year 33.2% 5 Year 20.4% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 9.8% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 18.7% 2023 14.8% 2022 12% 2021 -4% 2020 24.2% 2019 21.6% 2018 5.8% 2017 1.4% 2016 8.3% 2015 -8.7% Fund Manager information for IDBI Gold Fund
Name Since Tenure Sumit Bhatnagar 1 Jun 24 1.5 Yr. Data below for IDBI Gold Fund as on 30 Nov 25
Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 2.64% Other 97.36% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity LIC MF Gold ETF
- | -99% ₹522 Cr 458,752
↑ 27,800 Treps
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -1% ₹4 Cr Net Receivables / (Payables)
CBLO | -0% -₹1 Cr 3. Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund
Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund
Growth Launch Date 20 Mar 12 NAV (30 Dec 25) ₹38.9683 ↓ -0.75 (-1.90 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹1,136 on 30 Nov 25 Category Gold - Gold AMC Birla Sun Life Asset Management Co Ltd Rating ☆☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 0.51 Sharpe Ratio 3.57 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 100 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-365 Days (1%),365 Days and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 30 Nov 20 ₹10,000 30 Nov 21 ₹9,699 30 Nov 22 ₹10,501 30 Nov 23 ₹12,347 30 Nov 24 ₹14,876 30 Nov 25 ₹24,055 Returns for Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.6% 3 Month 15.8% 6 Month 39.1% 1 Year 73.8% 3 Year 33% 5 Year 20.2% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 10.4% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 18.7% 2023 14.5% 2022 12.3% 2021 -5% 2020 26% 2019 21.3% 2018 6.8% 2017 1.6% 2016 11.5% 2015 -7.2% Fund Manager information for Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund
Name Since Tenure Priya Sridhar 31 Dec 24 0.92 Yr. Data below for Aditya Birla Sun Life Gold Fund as on 30 Nov 25
Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.32% Other 98.68% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Aditya BSL Gold ETF
- | -100% ₹1,137 Cr 102,475,557
↑ 3,970,835 Net Receivables / (Payables)
Net Current Assets | -0% -₹3 Cr Clearing Corporation Of India Limited
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -0% ₹2 Cr 4. Nippon India Gold Savings Fund
Nippon India Gold Savings Fund
Growth Launch Date 7 Mar 11 NAV (30 Dec 25) ₹51.2399 ↓ -0.86 (-1.64 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹4,849 on 30 Nov 25 Category Gold - Gold AMC Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. Rating ☆☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 0.35 Sharpe Ratio 3.61 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 100 Exit Load 0-1 Years (2%),1 Years and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 30 Nov 20 ₹10,000 30 Nov 21 ₹9,653 30 Nov 22 ₹10,445 30 Nov 23 ₹12,267 30 Nov 24 ₹14,786 30 Nov 25 ₹23,972 Returns for Nippon India Gold Savings Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.2% 3 Month 15.9% 6 Month 38.7% 1 Year 73.1% 3 Year 33% 5 Year 20.2% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 11.7% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 19% 2023 14.3% 2022 12.3% 2021 -5.5% 2020 26.6% 2019 22.5% 2018 6% 2017 1.7% 2016 11.6% 2015 -8.1% Fund Manager information for Nippon India Gold Savings Fund
Name Since Tenure Himanshu Mange 23 Dec 23 1.94 Yr. Data below for Nippon India Gold Savings Fund as on 30 Nov 25
Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.48% Other 98.52% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity Nippon India ETF Gold BeES
- | -100% ₹4,848 Cr 463,431,511
↑ 9,277,000 Triparty Repo
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -1% ₹27 Cr Net Current Assets
Net Current Assets | -1% -₹26 Cr Cash Margin - Ccil
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -0% ₹0 Cr Cash
Net Current Assets | -0% ₹0 Cr 00 5. HDFC Gold Fund
HDFC Gold Fund
Growth Launch Date 24 Oct 11 NAV (30 Dec 25) ₹40.0681 ↓ -0.67 (-1.65 %) Net Assets (Cr) ₹7,633 on 30 Nov 25 Category Gold - Gold AMC HDFC Asset Management Company Limited Rating ☆ Risk Moderately High Expense Ratio 0.49 Sharpe Ratio 3.54 Information Ratio 0 Alpha Ratio 0 Min Investment 5,000 Min SIP Investment 300 Exit Load 0-6 Months (2%),6-12 Months (1%),12 Months and above(NIL) Growth of 10,000 investment over the years.
Date Value 30 Nov 20 ₹10,000 30 Nov 21 ₹9,719 30 Nov 22 ₹10,530 30 Nov 23 ₹12,340 30 Nov 24 ₹14,910 30 Nov 25 ₹24,143 Returns for HDFC Gold Fund
absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) basis. as on 30 Dec 25 Duration Returns 1 Month 6.5% 3 Month 15.7% 6 Month 38.9% 1 Year 73% 3 Year 33% 5 Year 20.3% 10 Year 15 Year Since launch 10.3% Historical performance (Yearly) on absolute basis
Year Returns 2024 18.9% 2023 14.1% 2022 12.7% 2021 -5.5% 2020 27.5% 2019 21.7% 2018 6.6% 2017 2.8% 2016 10.1% 2015 -7.3% Fund Manager information for HDFC Gold Fund
Name Since Tenure Arun Agarwal 15 Feb 23 2.79 Yr. Nandita Menezes 29 Mar 25 0.68 Yr. Data below for HDFC Gold Fund as on 30 Nov 25
Asset Allocation
Asset Class Value Cash 1.53% Other 98.47% Top Securities Holdings / Portfolio
Name Holding Value Quantity HDFC Gold ETF
- | -100% ₹7,632 Cr 707,335,417
↑ 19,433,622 Treps - Tri-Party Repo
CBLO/Reverse Repo | -0% ₹22 Cr Net Current Assets
Net Current Assets | -0% -₹21 Cr
Gold maintains purchasing power when inflation rises, unlike cash or fixed deposits that lose value.
Gold funds can be redeemed quickly through Mutual Fund Houses, making them far more liquid than jewellery or coins.
Gold prices move differently from stocks and Bonds. In times of equity market stress, gold often provides stability, making it a risk-balancing tool in portfolios.
Gold has held value for centuries. While returns may not always be explosive, they are steady, making it a safe-haven asset during crises (e.g., COVID-19, 2008 Global Financial Crisis).
Gold mutual funds are ideal for:
They are not meant for overnight profits, but for long-term portfolio balance.
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Short answer: Yes — but with a strategy.
If you’re worried about market volatility, inflation, or currency risks, gold funds remain a wise allocation.
Gold mutual funds are one of the most effective ways for Indians to invest in gold without storage hassles or large capital requirements. With SIPs starting from ₹100, professional management, and long-term inflation-hedging benefits, they’re a must-have in a diversified portfolio. With global uncertainty and rising inflation, allocating a portion of your wealth to gold funds can provide safety, stability, and steady returns.
A: Compare 3-year CAGR, expense ratio, fund manager reputation, and AUM size before Investing.
A: Yes — because they are liquid, cost-efficient, and transparent. No making charges or purity concerns.
A: Financial planners recommend 5–15% of portfolio allocation to gold.
A: SBI Gold Fund and HDFC Gold Fund have strong SIP performance records.
A: They carry market risks, but as a long-term hedge, they are safer and more stable than many other asset classes.
Really a useful knowledge. for investment decision.espically for gold and global fund investments.
Very informative.
Which gold investment fund will be good for me pls suggest for 1- 1.3 years