Aditya Birla Capital has entered the gold loan business, with its NBFC arm planning to establish around 1,000 dedicated gold loan branches across India over the next three years as it looks to tap growing demand for collateral-backed retail credit.

Key Highlights

• Aditya Birla Capital's NBFC arm to open 1,000 gold loan branches over three years across India.
• NBFC's AUM rose 28% year-on-year to Rs 1,67,456 crore in Q1 FY27, with profit up 32%.

The Mumbai-based firm will initially roll out 200-300 gold loan branches by March 2027 across high-potential markets. The offering will target customers in urban and semi-urban areas and will be delivered through a combination of dedicated branches and digital channels, the company said on Thursday.

Retail and SME Lending Continue to Drive Growth

The entry into gold loans comes as Aditya Birla Capital's NBFC business continues to expand its broader lending operations. The company's assets under management (AUM) rose 27% year-on-year to Rs 1,59,916 crore in FY26, while disbursements increased 25% to Rs 84,204 crore during the year.

SME and Retail credit segment accounted for around 68% of the NBFC's AUM in FY26, with profit before tax rising 20% to Rs 4,023 crore for the year.

This growth accelerated further in the first quarter of FY27. AUM rose 28% year-on-year to Rs 1,67,456 crore, while disbursements jumped 34% to Rs 21,201 crore. Profit before tax for the quarter grew 32% to Rs 1,222 crore.

Also Read: Gold Loans Overtake Vehicle Loans as Top Securitized Asset Class

Gold Loans to Strengthen Secured Lending Portfolio

The company said the new gold loan offering will provide customers with flexible, collateral-backed credit, with a strong emphasis on transparent pricing, secure handling of pledged gold, and faster loan disbursals.

Rakesh Singh, Executive Director and CEO-NBFC, Aditya Birla Capital, said gold loans are witnessing strong structural growth in India, and the company's entry into this segment is a natural extension of its broader secured lending strategy. He added that in a category where trust is paramount, customers seek transparency, secure handling of their gold, and confidence that their valuable assets are in safe and trusted hands.

Singh noted that the business is being built with a strong focus on governance, risk management and operational execution, while leveraging the company's existing distribution network and digital capabilities.

Pan-India Expansion Planned

Aditya Birla Capital said the gold loan business will serve both existing customers within its ecosystem and new borrowers. The company currently operates more than 1,759 branches and has over 2 lakh agents and channel partners across its various financial services businesses.

As of June 30, 2026, ABCL's consolidated lending book had crossed Rs 2.19 lakh crore, while assets under management across its businesses stood at approximately Rs 7.53 lakh crore. The company said the phased expansion of gold loan branches will help build a pan-India franchise, complementing its existing retail and MSME lending businesses.