You can invest in gold in Pakistan through digital gold, gold mutual funds and PMEX gold futures. These options allow investors to gain exposure to gold without buying and storing physical metal themselves.

Why Physical Gold May Not Be the Best Option

You can buy physical gold from a jeweler or bullion dealer, but it can be an expensive way to invest. Gold bars, coins and jewelry give you direct ownership, but they also come with storage, security, purity and resale concerns.

Jewelry is particularly costly because buyers pay making charges on top of the gold price. Depending on the product and jeweler, these charges can be substantial and increase the total purchase cost.

You can lose much of the apparent gain when selling physical gold because making charges are generally not recovered in full. The difference between the purchase price and resale value can therefore be much smaller than the increase in the market price of gold suggests.

For example, if you buy 10 grams of 22K gold when its value is Rs. 300,000 and sell it when the comparable value reaches Rs. 390,000, the Rs. 90,000 increase does not necessarily become your profit. Making charges, the jeweler’s buying and selling spread, and other deductions can significantly reduce the amount you receive.

For investors who want gold exposure without these physical-holding costs, there are three alternatives.

1. Buy Gold Digitally Through Asasa

You can buy 24K gold digitally through Asasa with as little as Rs. 1,000. The platform allows users to accumulate gold digitally rather than purchasing and storing bars or jewelry themselves.

Asasa says customers’ digital gold holdings are backed by an equivalent quantity of physical gold kept in custody. The company says this provides a link between the digital holding and underlying physical gold.

Asasa is operated by Zarvest Technologies (Private) Limited, which says it is registered with the SECP. However, company registration is different from holding an SECP licence as a mutual fund or commodity exchange.

Investors should verify the platform’s regulatory status, custody arrangements, fees and redemption process before investing.

PMEX-linked digital gold is another option available in Pakistan. Products such as milliSona allow investors to purchase gold through a PMEX account.

2. Invest in Gold Mutual Funds

You can invest in gold through SECP-regulated mutual funds instead of buying physical metal yourself. These funds provide exposure to gold through investments in gold-related contracts and assets.

The Meezan Gold Fund invests at least 70% of its net assets in deliverable gold-based contracts available on PMEX. Its minimum initial investment is Rs. 5,000, while additional investments can start from Rs. 1,000.

The NBP Islamic Gold Fund is another regulated gold investment option. Launched in 2026, the open-end commodity fund invests significantly in deliverable gold contracts on PMEX and has a minimum investment of Rs. 10,000.

Gold mutual funds remove the need to personally store or secure gold. Investors should still check management fees, the fund structure, risks and investment policy before investing.

3. Trade Gold Futures Through PMEX

You can trade gold futures through the Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMEX), Pakistan’s SECP-licensed commodity futures exchange. Investors access the market through PMEX-registered brokers.

PMEX offers gold contracts in different sizes, including smaller contracts for investors with less capital. Unlike physical gold, futures allow investors to take positions on gold prices without owning the metal.

Gold futures are significantly riskier than simply holding gold because they involve margin and leveraged exposure. Investors can lose money quickly if gold prices move against their positions, making futures more suitable for experienced traders.

What About OctaFX and Other Gold-Trading Apps?

You should not treat every app offering gold trading as a regulated way to invest in gold in Pakistan. Offshore platforms may offer XAU/USD or leveraged gold trading without giving investors ownership of physical gold.

PMEX has warned investors about offshore platforms including OctaFX, Exness, XM and EasyForex. It has advised investors to use PMEX-licensed brokers for commodity futures trading in Pakistan.

Which Gold Option Should You Choose?

Digital gold can suit investors who want to start with small amounts and manage their holdings online. Asasa, for instance, allows purchases starting from Rs. 1,000.

Gold mutual funds can suit investors who want regulated, professionally managed exposure to gold. They also remove the need to personally store physical metal.

PMEX futures are better suited to experienced investors who understand margin and trading risks. They are designed for active trading rather than simply preserving savings.

Before buying any gold product, check what you actually own, who regulates it, what fees apply and how you can sell or redeem your investment.