Gen Z Rushes to Gold: Why Young Indians Are Ditching Stocks for the Yellow Metal

• Indian youth, especially Gen Z, are shifting from luxury spending to saving, with gold becoming their preferred investment over stocks and mutual funds.
• A Smitten Pulse AI survey of 5,000 young adults (18-39) reveals gold purchases are now personal, celebrating milestones like first salaries, rather than family traditions.
• Gold remains the top safe asset choice: 61.9% would invest 25,000 rupees in gold, significantly more than mutual funds (16.6%) or stocks (6.6%).
• Family influence in gold buying is decreasing, with 66.7% making independent decisions; 42.3% of new gold buyers are youth.
• Youth are buying gold in smaller quantities (61.9% buy less than 5 grams) and prioritizing trusted physical stores over online platforms due to concerns about purity and hidden charges.