Banking

Rising gold prices, higher borrowing limits, and tighter credit in other segments have led borrowers to prefer secured gold loans from banks and NBFCs.

Updated : Mar 15, 2026

Gold loan rates range from 8.5% to 23% with rising prices boost borrowing

Gold loan interest rates range from about 8.5% to over 11%, with some lenders charging higher depending on risk and loan terms. Strong demand has pushed gold loan disbursements up 94% year-on-year to ₹8.16 lakh crore in FY26, as per a report.

Under the proposed scheme, for losses below Rs 29,412, customers will receive 85 per cent of the loss as compensation.

Updated : Mar 7, 2026

RBI sets Rs 50,000 cap on small-value digital fraud claims; how will that affect you

Effective 1 July 2026, the rules aim to protect customers as digital transactions rise. Compensation will be allowed if the loss is genuine and reported to the bank and the Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) within five days.

Women borrowers led loan growth, with portfolios rising 23.4% year-on-year in December 2025 versus 16.7% for men.

Updated : Mar 4, 2026

Women borrowers outpace men in credit growth, repayment strength and business loans: CRIF report

Women borrowers show their strongest participation in secured lending products such as gold loans, education loans and housing finance. According to the report, women account for 43.5% of gold loan portfolios, followed by 36.7% in education loans and 32.2% in home loans.

The report said the spike highlights a growing preference for instant credit solutions that help individuals manage seasonal expenses without disturbing their monthly budgets.

Updated : Mar 3, 2026

30% surge in loan demand - short-term personal loan applications rose ahead of Holi 2026, says report

The average loan ticket size ranged between ₹40,000 and ₹50,000, with borrowers aged 30–35 years emerging as the most active segment.

Certain current account holders will continue to enjoy unlimited free withdrawals at HDFC Bank ATMs. These include Biz Lite+, Biz Pro+, Biz Ultra+, Biz Elite+, Flexi, Plus, Activ, Ascent, Max Advantage

Updated : Mar 3, 2026

HDFC Bank caps UPI ATM withdrawals under monthly free transaction rules from April 1; know how will it affect you

HDFC Bank will count UPI-based cash withdrawals at its ATMs within the existing monthly free transaction limits starting April 1, 2026. Once customers exceed the prescribed cap, a charge of ₹23 per transaction plus applicable taxes will apply.

The bulk of the sequential decline was concentrated among the top four banks — SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank — which together accounted for 87.5% of the total MoM reduction in spends.

Updated : Feb 27, 2026

Credit card spends slip 2.7% in January despite steady card additions: Report

Total credit card spends declined 2.7% month-on-month (MoM) to ₹1,99,000 crore in January, down ₹5,600 crore from December 2025. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, however, spending was still higher by 8.1%, indicating continued expansion compared to last year, albeit at a moderated pace.

The latest move is aimed at tightening eligibility, making it more challenging for cardholders to retain the benefits associated with the bank’s flagship credit card offering.

Updated : Feb 26, 2026

HDFC tightens Infinia norms: Infinia cardholders must spend Rs 18 lakh or hold Rs 50 lakh to retain benefits

HDFC Bank has introduced stricter eligibility norms for the Infinia credit card, increasing the minimum spend and relationship value requirements for customers to continue enjoying premium benefits. Infinia cardholders must spend Rs 18 lakh or maintain Rs 50 lakh RLV annually.

Recent RBI data showed that credit extended against loans on gold jewellery grew by 127.6 per cent year-on-year in December 2025.

Updated : Feb 10, 2026

Axis Bank rolls out gold-backed loans for MSME with high LTV, same day access

The product offers a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of up to 82%, exceeding the usual industry norms. Axis Bank said this higher LTV is backed by robust risk management frameworks, targeted customer profiling, and stringent gold valuation and monitoring mechanisms.

The RBI said it will float a framework to compensate customers for losses from small-value fraudulent transactions, with the compensation capped at Rs 25,000.

Updated : Feb 6, 2026

RBI tightens customer protection, eases NBFC norms and boosts MSME credit access

As part of a renewed focus on consumer safeguards, the RBI said it will issue three draft guidelines to address key areas of concern in retail finance. These will cover mis-selling of financial products, recovery of loans and engagement of recovery agents, and limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic banking transactions.

As of January 30, 2026, public sector banks continue to offer the most competitive home loan rates, typically in the 7.15–7.30% range.

Updated : Feb 6, 2026

Repo rate on hold at 5.25%: How your home loan changes after RBI’s policy pause

The Reserve Bank of India has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25%, signalling a pause after a year of sharp rate cuts. For home loan borrowers, this means EMIs are likely to remain stable for now, with limited chances of either immediate relief or sudden increases.

The proposed changes are expected to affect a wide cross-section of the Indian banking population, given the large customer bases of SBI, HDFC Bank, PNB, and ICICI Bank.

Updated : Jan 31, 2026

February updates: Major changes in banking rules to affect SBI, HDFC Bank, PNB and ICICI Bank customers; check details

Starting February 2026, leading Indian lenders such as State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB) and ICICI Bank will roll out key changes to banking and card-related services, affecting everyday transactions, credit card usage and compliance processes for a broad base of customers.

Public sector banks remain the dominant players in the gold loan market, accounting for 59.9% of portfolio outstanding and 46.6% of active loans as of November 2025.

Updated : Jan 28, 2026

India’s gold loan portfolio swells to 42% to Rs 15.6 lakh crore as PSU banks tighten grip: Report

CRIF High Mark’s latest CreditScape report shows that gold loans have emerged as the fastest-growing segment within retail lending, outpacing consumption and overall retail credit growth. Gold loans now account for about 9.7% of India’s total retail loan portfolio, up from around 8.1% a year earlier.

Elevated gold prices have significantly increased the collateral value of pledged gold, enabling lenders to disburse higher loan amounts against the same quantity of jewellery.

Updated : Jan 22, 2026

Gold price rally, secured credit demand to lift NBFC gold-loan AUM: Crisil

Crisil estimates that the AUM of gold-loan NBFCs will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 40% over the current and next fiscal years. This marks a sharp acceleration compared with the 27% CAGR recorded between fiscals 2023 and 2025.

SBI's C S Setty said India’s evolving trade strategy is one of the key pillars of its resilience in recent times.

Updated : Jan 22, 2026

Davos 2026: Savings shift to markets irreversible, banks to adjust funding strategy, says SBI chairman

SBI chairman C S Setty said a structural shift in household savings from bank deposits to market-linked instruments, which is reshaping the financial system and is unlikely to reverse. He said banks will need to adapt their funding strategies as India strengthens its resilience amid global uncertainty.

A recent State Bank of India research report flagged the sharp rise in unsecured loans as a potential risk to the banking system.

Updated : Jan 21, 2026

Unsecured loan treated as income? Why such loans need strong paperwork to avoid tax trouble

Unsecured loans can quickly turn into a tax headache if documentation is weak, as one recent case highlights. Tax advisory platform TaxBuddy has decoded how a legitimate unsecured loan was treated as income, triggering a hefty tax demand. The case underscores why proof and paper trails are critical when dealing with unsecured borrowings.

While salaried individuals buying cars for personal use get no tax relief, the story is different for business owners and self-employed professionals.

Updated : Jan 8, 2026

Budget 2026: Will car loan interest get tax relief as govt pushes new tax regime?

As Budget 2026 approaches, the spotlight is back on whether the government will offer any tax relief on car loan interest or continue pushing taxpayers towards the deductions-free new tax regime. With vehicle costs rising and household budgets under pressure, the debate is gaining urgency among middle-class buyers and tax experts alike.

By enabling selective and immediate blocking of services, the feature aims to reduce the risk of unauthorised transactions and limit potential losses.

Updated : Jan 6, 2026

Rising digital fraud pushes banks to give customers more control over online transactions

In response to this growing threat, Axis Bank has rolled out a new feature called ‘Safety Centre’ on its mobile banking app ‘open’, allowing users to manage key banking functions in real time without having to contact customer support or visit a branch.

Agriculture gold loans are cheaper, purpose-linked and offer harvest-based repayment, unlike regular gold loans with higher rates and fixed EMIs.

Updated : Jan 2, 2026

Gold loan tagged as agriculture by bank, though I’m not a farmer — should I be worried?

An agriculture gold loan is a specialised credit product designed to meet the financing needs of farmers and those engaged in allied agricultural activities. If your gold loan acknowledgment mentions “agriculture” even though the loan was for personal use, you’re not alone. Such tagging is usually internal, but borrowers should still check their loan agreement carefully.

The average home loan now stands at about Rs 37 lakh, up from Rs 29 lakh three years ago, reflecting both rising property values and stronger borrowing capacity.

Updated : Dec 30, 2025

Smarter loans, safer cards: How India’s youth are using credit differently in 2025

One of the clearest shifts is visible in housing loans. Despite higher interest rates, home loan disbursements grew 12% during the year. Nearly 16% of new home loan borrowers in 2025 were under the age of 30, almost double the share seen just three years ago.

A CIBIL score is a three-digit number that reflects an individual’s creditworthiness. It is calculated based on the credit information contained in the CIBIL Report or Credit Information Report (CIR).

Updated : Dec 27, 2025

Investor query: Will a missed EMI, loan settlement, early prepayment or high card usage hurt my CIBIL score more?

Young professionals planning big-ticket loans often worry about credit score missteps. Here’s expert guidance on EMIs, card usage, loan applications and what truly matters.

From a tax perspective, selling gold attracts capital gains tax.

Updated : Dec 26, 2025

Gold hits lifetime high in 2025, gold loans soar 128%: Should borrowers opt for gold loans in emergencies?

The sharp rise in gold prices has reshaped household borrowing behaviour. Gold loans have emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments of retail credit, with loans against gold jewellery rising 128.5% year-on-year to Rs 3.38 lakh crore in October 2025. Should you go for gold loans?