Dhanteras 2025: If you had invested Rs 1 lakh in gold in 2015, here’s how much it would be worth today
Gold has outshone every major asset over the past decade, turning long-term investors into quiet winners this Dhanteras. If you had invested RS 1 lakh in gold in 2015, it would now be worth up to Rs 5 lakh — but experts say where you invested mattered just as much as when.
- Oct 18, 2025,
- Updated Oct 18, 2025 12:12 PM IST
Gold’s rally over the past decade has turned even small investors into quite winners. As India gears up for Dhanteras 2025, a day synonymous with wealth and auspicious beginnings, gold has once again proven to be the festival’s most reliable symbol of prosperity — both culturally and financially.
Over the years, the precious metal has delivered a powerful performance, riding on global economic turbulence, geopolitical tensions, and policy shifts. Five years ago, in September 2020, spot gold (24K) traded at around Rs 51,619 per 10 grams on the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). Fast forward to today, and prices have surged to historic highs — touching nearly Rs 1.28 lakh per 10 grams, translating into a 63% gain in rupee terms and 53% in dollar terms over just one year since Dhanteras 2024.
As of October 18, the MCX gold index stood at Rs 1,27,320 per 10 grams, while silver was priced at Rs 1,57,300 per kg, according to the official MCX website. The Indian Bullion Association (IBA) reported similar figures — with 24K gold at Rs 1,27,320 per 10 grams and 22K gold atRs ₹1,16,710.
The price explosion has reignited conversations around long-term gold investing. CA Nitin Kaushik, a financial educator, broke down what a Rs 1 lakh investment in gold in 2015 would look like today. “If you had invested Rs 1 lakh in 2015 — here’s what the gold story actually looks like in 2025,” he wrote on X.
Physical Gold: ~Rs 4 lakh (≈13.5% CAGR) While storage, making charges, GST, and liquidity can eat into returns, the yellow metal still delivered steady appreciation. Long-term capital gains are taxed at 20% with indexation after three years.
Gold ETF: ~Rs 4 lakh (≈13.5% CAGR) Offering liquidity and convenience, Gold ETFs mirror physical gold performance but are taxed similarly.
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs): ~Rs 5 lakh (≈15% CAGR) The clear winner of the decade. These bonds not only offer tax-free capital gains on maturity but also pay 2.5% annual interest (taxable).
Silver ETF (since 2022): ~Rs 1.8 lakh (≈20% CAGR since launch) Though a newer entrant, silver’s stellar rally since 2022 has delivered exceptional, if volatile, returns.
Kaushik concluded, “The takeaway? Gold glittered, but how (and where) you invested made the biggest difference.”
What’s driving gold’s supercycle?
The past 12 months have seen global headwinds transform gold into a frontline safe-haven asset. Central bank buying, US-China trade frictions, Middle East tensions, and expectations of US Federal Reserve rate cuts have all contributed to record-high prices. On October 16, 2025, gold futures surged past $4,250 per ounce, pushing global market capitalisation higher by over $300 billion overnight.
Analysts at ANZ expect gold to touch $4,400 per ounce by the end of 2025 and possibly peak near $4,600 by mid-2026, before moderating as the Fed’s easing cycle winds down. Trading Economics projects stabilization around $4,066 this quarter and a rise to $4,248 over the next year.
A decade of gold
A look at historical data underscores how gold has evolved from a luxury to a wealth anchor:
Year 24K Gold Price (per 10 grams)
2025 Rs 1,32,770 2024 Rs 76,250 2023 Rs 65,330 2022 Rs 52,670 2021 Rs 48,720 2020 Rs 48,651 2019 Rs 35,220 2018 Rs 31,438 2017 Rs 29,667 2016 Rs 28,623 2015 Rs 26,343
From Rs 26,343 per 10 grams in 2015 to Rs 1,32,770 in 2025, gold has appreciated fivefold in 10 years, reflecting a CAGR of over 17%.
Gold outlook
Looking beyond 2025, the outlook for gold remains robust. Coin Price Forecast projects the metal to climb from $5,735 in early 2027 to $10,382 by 2031, driven by safe-haven demand and macroeconomic uncertainty. Bank of America and CIBC Capital Markets expect prices to hover between $4,500 and $5,500 through 2026–2027. Inflation, persistent geopolitical risk, and rate cuts are likely to keep investors anchored to gold as a hedge against volatility.
As Dhanteras 2025 dawns with gold glittering at record highs, one thing is clear — those who invested early have seen their faith in gold pay off handsomely. But as experts remind, where you invest — physical, digital, or sovereign — can determine how brightly your returns truly shine.
Gold’s rally over the past decade has turned even small investors into quite winners. As India gears up for Dhanteras 2025, a day synonymous with wealth and auspicious beginnings, gold has once again proven to be the festival’s most reliable symbol of prosperity — both culturally and financially.
Over the years, the precious metal has delivered a powerful performance, riding on global economic turbulence, geopolitical tensions, and policy shifts. Five years ago, in September 2020, spot gold (24K) traded at around Rs 51,619 per 10 grams on the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). Fast forward to today, and prices have surged to historic highs — touching nearly Rs 1.28 lakh per 10 grams, translating into a 63% gain in rupee terms and 53% in dollar terms over just one year since Dhanteras 2024.
As of October 18, the MCX gold index stood at Rs 1,27,320 per 10 grams, while silver was priced at Rs 1,57,300 per kg, according to the official MCX website. The Indian Bullion Association (IBA) reported similar figures — with 24K gold at Rs 1,27,320 per 10 grams and 22K gold atRs ₹1,16,710.
The price explosion has reignited conversations around long-term gold investing. CA Nitin Kaushik, a financial educator, broke down what a Rs 1 lakh investment in gold in 2015 would look like today. “If you had invested Rs 1 lakh in 2015 — here’s what the gold story actually looks like in 2025,” he wrote on X.
Physical Gold: ~Rs 4 lakh (≈13.5% CAGR) While storage, making charges, GST, and liquidity can eat into returns, the yellow metal still delivered steady appreciation. Long-term capital gains are taxed at 20% with indexation after three years.
Gold ETF: ~Rs 4 lakh (≈13.5% CAGR) Offering liquidity and convenience, Gold ETFs mirror physical gold performance but are taxed similarly.
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs): ~Rs 5 lakh (≈15% CAGR) The clear winner of the decade. These bonds not only offer tax-free capital gains on maturity but also pay 2.5% annual interest (taxable).
Silver ETF (since 2022): ~Rs 1.8 lakh (≈20% CAGR since launch) Though a newer entrant, silver’s stellar rally since 2022 has delivered exceptional, if volatile, returns.
Kaushik concluded, “The takeaway? Gold glittered, but how (and where) you invested made the biggest difference.”
What’s driving gold’s supercycle?
The past 12 months have seen global headwinds transform gold into a frontline safe-haven asset. Central bank buying, US-China trade frictions, Middle East tensions, and expectations of US Federal Reserve rate cuts have all contributed to record-high prices. On October 16, 2025, gold futures surged past $4,250 per ounce, pushing global market capitalisation higher by over $300 billion overnight.
Analysts at ANZ expect gold to touch $4,400 per ounce by the end of 2025 and possibly peak near $4,600 by mid-2026, before moderating as the Fed’s easing cycle winds down. Trading Economics projects stabilization around $4,066 this quarter and a rise to $4,248 over the next year.
A decade of gold
A look at historical data underscores how gold has evolved from a luxury to a wealth anchor:
Year 24K Gold Price (per 10 grams)
2025 Rs 1,32,770 2024 Rs 76,250 2023 Rs 65,330 2022 Rs 52,670 2021 Rs 48,720 2020 Rs 48,651 2019 Rs 35,220 2018 Rs 31,438 2017 Rs 29,667 2016 Rs 28,623 2015 Rs 26,343
From Rs 26,343 per 10 grams in 2015 to Rs 1,32,770 in 2025, gold has appreciated fivefold in 10 years, reflecting a CAGR of over 17%.
Gold outlook
Looking beyond 2025, the outlook for gold remains robust. Coin Price Forecast projects the metal to climb from $5,735 in early 2027 to $10,382 by 2031, driven by safe-haven demand and macroeconomic uncertainty. Bank of America and CIBC Capital Markets expect prices to hover between $4,500 and $5,500 through 2026–2027. Inflation, persistent geopolitical risk, and rate cuts are likely to keep investors anchored to gold as a hedge against volatility.
As Dhanteras 2025 dawns with gold glittering at record highs, one thing is clear — those who invested early have seen their faith in gold pay off handsomely. But as experts remind, where you invest — physical, digital, or sovereign — can determine how brightly your returns truly shine.