A sharp correction in gold prices over recent months has prompted margin calls on some bullet‑repayment gold loans, while EMI (regular‑instalment) loans have stayed largely insulated; this dynamic and recent RBI rules (effective April 1, 2026) have pushed non‑bank lenders to migrate toward EMI‑based products to reduce future margin‑call risk.

Bullet loans keep principal outstanding until maturity, so a fall in gold’s market value raises the loan‑to‑value (LTV) ratio quickly and can trigger margin calls or demands for extra collateral; lenders have invoked margin calls in some cases as prices fell over five months.

EMI loans reduce outstanding principal every month, creating an equity cushion that buffers the borrower against modest price corrections and so have remained largely unaffected in the recent correction.

Market participants attribute the correction to geopolitical events and renewed concerns about interest‑rate trajectories, which reduced safe‑haven flows and weighed on prices.

Key elements of the new RBI gold‑loan framework (effective April 1, 2026)

• Tiered LTV caps: 85% for loans up to Rs 2.5 lakh, 80% for Rs 2.5–5 lakh, and 75% above Rs 5 lakh. This standardises collateral limits across lenders.
• Requirement that borrowers repay principal and interest within 12 months (ending the widespread practice of rolling by paying only interest) and stricter auction/valuation and borrower‑protection rules (30‑day average or previous‑day price for valuation, faster release of gold on closure, mandated disclosures, auction reserve pricing rules).
• LTV for bullet loans must be calculated on the total amount repayable at maturity, which makes bullet structures less attractive under the new framework.

Industry response and product shift

• Non‑bank lenders (NBFCs, smaller finance companies) have started shifting toward EMI‑based gold‑loan products to reduce LTV vulnerability and margin‑call exposure, and to align with RBI’s consumer‑protection and repayment‑discipline aims.
• Lenders say they can manage risks on short‑term loans and through active LTV monitoring, but the structural incentive now favours EMI schedules because they steadily reduce outstanding balances.