For Indians, the reverence they have for gold is beyond its market value. Now there are ways to own gold without its inherent risks or bearing making and wastage charges. Sovereign Gold Bonds are one such alternative offered by the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Here, you can own gold in ‘certificate’ format.
The Government of India introduced the Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) Scheme in November 2015 to offer an alternative investment to physical gold. Over the years, the market has witnessed a considerable decline in the demand for physical gold. SGBs not only track the export-import value of the asset but also ensures transparency at the same time.
SGBs are government securities and are considered safe. Their value is denominated in multiples of grams of gold. SGBs have witnessed a significant increase in investors, with it being considered a substitute for physical gold. If you are looking to purchase an SGB, all you have to do is approach a SEBI-authorised agent or broker. Once you redeem the bond, the corpus (as per the current market value) will be deposited into your registered bank account.
Sovereign Gold Bond 2023-24 Series IV
Subscription Period | Date of Issuance | Investment Limit | Interest | Issue Price Per Gram |
12 February 2024 - 16 February 2024 | 21 February 2024 | 1 gm to 4 kg | 2.5% per annum | Rs. 6,263 |
The price history of SGB for FY 2023-24 is as follows:
Series | Month | Price per Gram |
Series 1 | June 2023 | Rs. 5,926 |
Series 2 | September 2023 | Rs. 5,923 |
Series 3 | December 2023 | Rs. 6,199 |
Series 4 | February 2023 | Rs. 6,263 |
The price history of SGB for FY 2022-23 is as follows:
Series | Month | Price per Gram |
Series 1 | June 2022 | Rs. 5,041 |
Series 2 | August 2022 | Rs. 5,091 |
Series 3 | December 2022 | Rs. 5,409 |
Series 4 | March 2023 | Rs. 5,611 |
The price history of SGB for FY 2021-22 is as follows:
Series | Month | Price per Gram |
Series 1 | May 2021 | Rs. 4,777 |
Series 2 | May 2021 | Rs. 4,842 |
Series 3 | June 2021 | Rs. 4,889 |
Series 4 | July 2021 | Rs. 4,807 |
Series 5 | August 2021 | Rs. 4,790 |
Series 6 | September 2021 | Rs. 4,732 |
Series 7 | October 2021 | Rs. 4,765 |
Series 8 | November 2021 | Rs. 4,791 |
Series 9 | January 2022 | Rs. 4,786 |
Series 10 | March 2022 | Rs. 5,109 |
You may consider diversifying your portfolio with at least 5%-10% in gold. As a low-risk investment, it is perfect for investors with a low-risk appetite. The cost to purchase or sell SGBs is quite low compared to physical gold. The expense of buying or selling the SGB is also nominal compared to the physical gold.
Those who do not want to go through the hassles of storing physical gold can also go for SGBs. This is because it is easy to store this in Demat form, and nobody can steal it as they are in electronic form.
Any Indian resident – individuals, Trusts, HUFs, charitable institutions, and universities – can invest in SGB. You may also invest on behalf of a minor.
Only RBI can issue SGBs on behalf of the Central Government, and they are traded on the Stock Exchange. It is issued in multiples of one gram of gold. Investors will receive a Holding Certificate for it. You can also convert it to Demat form.
You must follow the same Know-your-customer (KYC) norms as when you buy physical gold. You must complete KYC by submitting copies of identity proof such as a PAN Card and address proof such as a passport, driving license or Voter’s ID card for verification.
The interest on Sovereign Gold Bonds is taxable as per the provisions of the IT Act, 1961. In the case of SGB redemption, the capital gains tax applicable to an individual is exempted. Also, long-term capital gains generated are offered indexation benefits to an investor or when transferring the bond from one person to another.
If banks have acquired bonds after going through the process of invoking lien, hypothecation or pledging, then they accounted for SLR. The capital a commercial bank has to maintain in gold, cash, and approved securities before offering credit to customers is called Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).
The redemption price must be in rupees, based on an average closing price of gold of 999 purity in the previous three working days.
The government sells bonds through banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), and selected post offices, as may be informed. The trading of SGBs also occurs via recognised stock exchanges (National Stock Exchange of India or Bombay Stock Exchange) directly or through intermediaries.
The receiving offices shall levy 1% of the overall subscription amount as commission for the bond distribution. From this commission, they will share at least half with intermediaries (agents or brokers).
The maturity period of the sovereign gold bond is eight years. However, you can choose to exit the bond from the fifth year (only on interest payout dates).
On 27 October 2023, the RBI announced the premature redemption price of Rs.6,079 per unit of SGBs issued on 30 October 2017. Investors can initiate early redemption of their SGBs after the fifth year from the date of SGB issuance, coinciding with the interest payment date. Thus, those who have invested in SGBs issued on 30 October 2017 can redeem them prematurely on 30 October 2023 at Rs.6,079 per unit.
The price for premature redemption is determined based on the simple average closing price of gold with 999 purity in the previous three working days, as reported by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd (IBJA). Accordingly, the redemption price for premature redemption of SGBs due on 30 October 2023 is Rs.6,079 per unit based on the simple average closing price of gold for the previous three business days from the redemption date, i.e., 25-27 October 2023.
The current interest rate for SGB is 2.50% per annum on your initial investment. It is paid twice a year (semi-annually) for 8 years, i.e. till maturity. Interest will be credited directly to your account, which you shared while investing. Returns are usually linked to the current market price of gold.
The value of the bonds is assessed in multiples of gram(s) of gold, wherein the basic unit is 1 gram. The minimum initial investment is 1 gram of gold, and the upper limit is 4 Kg of gold per investor (individual and HUF). For entities such as trusts and universities, 20 Kg of gold investment are permissible.
A person can apply for a Sovereign Gold Bond through their banks, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices and recognised stock exchanges, such as the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India Limited, either directly or through agents.
SGBs can also be bought online through the commercial banks’ websites authorised to sell them. The process to purchase SGBs through a bank’s online website is as follows:
When you have purchased a Sovereign Gold Bond online with a Demat account, it will reflect in the portfolio after the SGB issuance. In case of offline purchase, a person can collect the SGB certificate of holding from the issuing bank, post offices, SHCIL offices, designated stock exchanges or agents. The RBI will mail the digital copy of the holding certificate to the email address entered in the application form.
The customers will be issued the holding certificate on the SGB issuance date. If a person has opted to receive the physical form of certificate, it will be mailed to the registered email ID; otherwise, it will reflect in the Demat account on the SGB issuance date. Customers can also collect the certificate of holding from the bank branch.
There are no tax deduction benefits for the lump sum deposit of SGBs under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. The interest given on SGB deposits is also not tax-free. The interest amount must be declared under ‘Income from Other Sources’ during tax returns. The income tax will be as per the individual’s income tax slab. Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) is not applicable on SGBs. However, they are exempt from capital gains tax when held till maturity.
Sovereign Gold Bonds have none of the risks associated with physical gold except the market risks. There are no hefty designing or wasting charges here. Moreover, SGBs earn interest, unlike physical gold, which is an idle investment.
You can earn a guaranteed annual interest at the rate of 2.50% (on the issue price); this is the most recent fixed rate.
Long-term capital gains arise when investors transfer bonds qualify for indexation benefits. There is also a sovereign guarantee on the principal and the interest earned.
You can trade gold sovereign bonds on stock exchanges within a specific date (at the issuer's discretion). For instance, after completing five years of investment, you can trade them on the National Stock Exchange or Bombay Stock Exchange, among others.
Some banks accept SGB as collateral/security against loans pledged in Demat form. Hence, they will treat it as a gold loan after setting the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio to the value of gold. The India Bullion and Jewellers Association Limited determines this.
Particulars | Physical Gold | Gold ETF | Sovereign Gold Bond |
Returns/earnings | Lower than the real return on gold due to making charges | Less than actual return on gold | More than actual return on gold |
Safety | Risk of theft, wear/tear | High | High |
Purity | The purity of gold always remains a question | High as it is in electronic form | High as it is in electronic form |
Gains | LTCG after three years | Long-term capital gain post after three years | LTCG post three years. (No capital gain tax if redeemed after maturity) |
As loan collateral | Accepted | Not accepted | Accepted |
Tradability or exit formalities | Restrictive | Tradable on Stock Exchange | Can be traded and redeemed from the 5th year with the government |
Storage expenditures | High | Minimal | Minimal |
Gold Sovereign Bonds are new-age investment vehicles for those interested in diversifying their portfolio with gold holdings.
An SGB is issued as per the Government Security Act, 2006, by the RBI on behalf of the central government. Since it is backed by the government, it is one of the safest forms of investment as the chances of defaults on repayment are zero.
The gold bonds are sold through the branches or offices of nationalised banks, designated post offices, scheduled foreign banks and scheduled private banks. You can choose any bank to invest in SGBs. It is recommended to apply for an SGB where you have a bank account.
The annual interest paid on SGBs of 2.5% is taxable at a marginal slab rate. However, when you withdraw the lump sum amount upon maturity, no capital gains apply to them.
Yes. Interest on the SGBs will be taxable as per the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
You can place an SGB purchase order by logging into Zerodha’s Gold Bond page. You can also log in to the Coin by Zerodha dashboard and click on ETFs and SGBs to invest in the Sovereign Gold Bond scheme. You need to click on the ‘Sovereign Gold Bond investment’ option, fill in the required details and click the ‘Place order’ button to invest in SGB.
Following are the steps to invest in SGB via SBI bank:
You can redeem the SGBs up on maturity, i.e. after completion of the 8th year or partially after the 5th year. After the maturity period of eight years, both interest and redemption proceeds will be credited to the bank account provided at the time of buying the bond.
You can sell SGBs in secondary markets through stock brokers or transfer them in the name of third persons by using Delivery Instruction Slip (DIS) slips. Currently, only a few stockbrokers are selling SGBs in the secondary market, such as Zerodha and Upstox. If your stock broker is not allowed to sell gold bonds in the secondary market, you have the following options to sell SGBs:
Yes, it offers a lucrative, efficient and economical mode of holding gold compared to physical gold. They are productive assets earning interest and have the additional benefits of a sovereign guarantee.
No, NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) are not eligible to purchase SGBs. However, if a resident becomes NRI after purchasing an SGB, then he/she can continue to hold the SGB until maturity.
After 8 years, the SGBs mature, and the interest and redemption proceeds will be credited to the bank account. You will be informed about its maturity status one month before the maturity date. If there is any change in details, such as email IDs, account numbers, etc., you must inform the bank, post office or SHCIL where you bought the SGB regarding the change.
Yes, a nominee can approach the respective bank where the investor had purchased the SGB and file the claim. If there is no nomination for SGB, the executors or administrators of the deceased holder or the holder of the succession certificate can submit a claim to the respective bank, receiving offices or depository.