Aspect Bullion and Refinery, a division of Aspect Global Ventures, has announced plans to roll out 50 gold and silver vending machines in the next 12-18 months. These state-of-the-art bullion vending machines have been indigenously developed by Aspect Bullion, assuring complete control over the planogram, software backend, and customer interface, reinforcing Aspect Bullion’s commitment to innovation, transparency and consumer trust. Strategically designated to be placed at high-footfall locations such as major malls, airports, temples, airports and more, the vending machines are designed to make purchasing precious metals faster, safer, and more accessible than ever before. Very soon, the brand will open another store in Mumbai and begin exploring franchise opportunities across India.

In the lead-up to Akshaya Tritiya — a festival synonymous with prosperity and gold purchases — Aspect Bullion has unveiled its first bullion vending machine at R City Mall, Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Shoppers can experience this innovative offering firsthand from April 26 to May 4, 2025.

Commenting on the initiative, Aksha Kamboj, Vice President, India Bullion & Jewellers Association (IBJA) and Executive Chairperson, Aspect Global Ventures said, “Gold and silver have always been an important part of India’s culture and traditions. With our vending machine, we are combining tradition with technology to make buying precious metals easier, safer, and more transparent. Our goal is to give people a simple, convenient, and trusted way to invest in gold and silver. We are proud to launch India’s first bullion vending machine, and we believe this will change how consumers buy precious metals, especially during important occasions like Akshaya Tritiya.”

Each vending machine will offer a curated range of gold and silver coins and bars, featuring exclusive designs and premium packaging. Equipped with real-time market pricing, customers can view live rate updates at the point of purchase.

Security has been a top priority: the machines feature biometric authentication, live CCTV surveillance, backend tracking, and robust anti-tampering technology. Purchases can be completed in under three minutes using a variety of payment options, including UPI, Google Pay, and debit/credit cards. A digital and printed receipt is provided instantly, making the process seamless — simply select, pay, collect, and go. This seamless process allows customers to take spot possession of gold and silver coins, making the purchasing experience truly worthwhile

Aspect Bullion’s vending machine rollout marks a significant shift toward a modern, tech-enabled future for bullion retail in India — while staying true to the tradition and trust that gold embodies.

Gold prices in India today fell sharply just two days ahead of the major gold-buying festival, Akshaya Tritiya 2025, which will be celebrated on April 30 (Wednesday). The gold rate in India at the beginning of this week showed signs of weakness, following the global spot gold price trend.
As of Monday, April 28, the 22-carat gold rate in India slipped massively by Rs. 620 per 10 grams to cost Rs. 89,400 per 10 grams. While the 24-carat gold prices today dropped hugely by Rs. 680 and are currently at Rs. 97,530 per 10 grams. Similarly, the 18-carat gold rate today retails at Rs 73,150, which dropped by Rs 510.

Gold rates in India are mirroring international market movements. US Gold prices dropped on Tuesday as softening trade tensions between the U.S. and its trading partners dulled the metal’s safe-haven appeal, while investors awaited U.S. economic data to assess the Federal Reserve’s policy path.Spot gold was down 0.8% at $3,314.65 an ounce, as of 0619 GMT. U.S. gold futures lost 0.7% to $3,324.20.

The US jewelry sector continues its contraction, registering a 3.4% year-on-year decline in the total number of retail, wholesale, and manufacturing businesses, according to the latest data from the Jewelers Board of Trade (JBT). The sector has shown a consistent quarterly decline since at least Q3 2024, suggesting persistent structural challenges. Notably, the sharpest reduction in Q1 2025 was seen among manufacturers, while retailers and wholesalers also reported significant drops despite new business openings.

Key Findings–Overall Business Contraction:The total number of businesses fell by approximately 800 to 22,330 — a 3.4% decrease year-on-year.

Previous quarters reported similar declines:Q3 2024: -3.3%,Q4 2024: -3.2%

Despite the overall decline, 68 new retail jewelers opened during Q1 2025, showing some resilience and entrepreneurial activity in pockets of the sector.

The US jewelry sector is in a state of managed decline — not a collapse, but an ongoing reduction driven by structural changes in production, distribution, and consumer behavior. The steady quarterly decline suggests that without substantial adaptation, the number of businesses will continue to shrink.