Gen Z fuels growth in fractional and digital gold investing

Gold’s investor base is becoming younger as digital platforms and fractional purchases allow people to enter the market earlier and with smaller amounts of money, according to YLG Group.

Tipa Nawawattanasub, chief executive of YLG Group, said gold had traditionally been bought by working-age investors with lump sums for savings, wealth preservation or long-term ownership.

Younger investors, however, increasingly regard gold as one component of a broader portfolio, with many making smaller but more frequent purchases.

Younger investors follow two approaches

YLG has identified two main investment patterns among younger customers.

The first group trades according to market movements, closely monitoring prices, economic developments and other factors. These investors expect real-time information, liquidity and the ability to adjust their portfolios quickly.

The second group gradually builds long-term holdings, purchasing fractional amounts or using dollar-cost averaging, commonly known as DCA. YLG said this approach could support consistent saving without requiring investors to determine the best time to enter the market.

Both groups share a mobile-first outlook, according to the company. They expect accessible minimum investments, uncomplicated procedures, transparent pricing and immediate access through smartphones.

YLG’s internal customer data showed that about 68% of those investing through its digital channels were aged 40 or younger. The company said fractional and digital gold products were reducing traditional barriers to entering the market.

Nearly one in six new BullionVault users is young

The shift is also visible outside Thailand. Investors aged 16–27 accounted for 15.4% of new users worldwide on online bullion platform BullionVault in 2026, according to figures published by the company.

The proportion increased from 12.6% in 2025 and 8.9% in 2006, indicating that the platform’s new customer base has become progressively younger.

The figures apply specifically to new BullionVault users rather than all new gold investors worldwide.

Interest among younger Thai investors has also featured in the wider discussion over the country’s changing gold market.

Small gold products gain ground in China

In China, younger consumers are increasingly shifting from jewellery towards gold purchased for investment and saving, YLG said.

One growing trend involves “gold beans” and small bars weighing 1–2 grammes, which consumers can purchase regularly without needing a large initial sum.

YLG cited China Gold Association figures as showing that sales of gold products weighing 1–5 grammes increased by 180% year on year during the first half of 2026. People born during the 1990s and 2000s reportedly accounted for more than 60% of buyers.

Gold leads investment choices in Indian survey

In India, a Smytten PulseAI survey of 5,000 consumers aged 18–39 found that 61.9% would choose gold if they had 25,000 Indian rupees to invest.

Gold ranked well ahead of mutual funds at 16.6%, fixed deposits at 13%, equities at 6.6% and cryptocurrencies at 1.9%, according to the survey findings.

YLG also identified consumers aged 18–35 as a rapidly growing gold-buying segment in Singapore, supported by digital-gold applications, one-gramme bars and mobile access to exchange-traded funds.

YLG targets mobile-first investors

“Gold is no longer only for people with a lump sum. It is accessible to everyone,” Tipa said.

“Younger people are starting earlier, investing smaller amounts and gradually building their holdings through DCA. They are mobile-first and want a simple process.”

YLG offers fractional gold investment through its YLG Get Gold application, with purchases starting from THB100. The company says the platform allows customers to trade spot gold around the clock using a smartphone.

The service permits transactions ranging from THB100 to a maximum equivalent of 80 kilogrammes of gold per day, according to YLG’s product information.