Money@Home: IIFL Finance’s 100% Digital Gold Loan

Banks had stepped up their customer friendly service with the introduction of automated teller machines (ATMs) many years ago. This allowed customers to take out their deposited money any time without having to visit a branch.

Many lenders now are taking the philosophy to other modes of financial services like lending. The process of taking a loan has also changed significantly over the years as competition increased among banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

Prominent lenders are now offering products like a loan against one’s gold jewellery right at one’s doorstep.

A gold loan is essentially a collateralised loan against gold jewellery that has been pledged. Such a loan can be availed with minimal paperwork.

The basic process is the same across lenders, starting with a borrower owning gold jewellery approaching a financer. The lender values the jewellery based on the market price of gold and offers the maximum amount that can be availed.

Based on the borrower’s choice, whether it is the actual loan amount or the time period for repayment, the lender then customises the rate of interest for the loan.

The lender also presents the additional charges and fees associated with processing, managing and, at the end, repayment of the loan leading to return of the security, which in this case is the gold jewellery.

Different variants of digital gold loan

Digital gold loans can be of two kinds.

Digitised gold loan:

In simple terms, it is associated with the process of availing a loan. Owners of gold jewellery can avail a loan against the value of product through a digitised process. One can apply online and request for a lender’s representative to visit the borrower’s chosen location at a convenient time. Once the terms of the loan are agreed upon, the money is transferred digitally to the borrower’s bank account.

Loan against ‘digital gold’:

This refers to a loan against ‘digital gold’, or loan against a certified digital note that says one owns a given amount of gold even if one doesn’t hold the yellow metal physically. This is an emerging sector, much like the saving-cum-investment product of ‘digital gold’ itself.

Money@Home via digital hold loan

One can avail a gold loan either through the traditional way by going to a branch or opt to save time by going through a quick and simple process from their home.

The Money@Home scheme of IIFL Finance digitises the process of taking a gold loan with a simple online application and an underwriting to disbursal process that is digital-first.

How IIFL Finance’s Money@Home for gold loan works

Taking a digital gold loan from IIFL Finance is easy and convenient. The entire process can be completed online within a few minutes. Here are the main steps a borrower has to go through to avail a loan:

Step 1: Fill the online form.

Step 2: Keep identity and address proof documents at hand.

Step 3: IIFL Finance representative calls and comes to the address.

Step 4: The representative uses certified tools to weigh the jewellery and give an instant valuation, depending on the purity of the gold, and the maximum loan one can avail.

Step 5: Based on the amount of loan and the tenure a borrower opts for, a rate of interest is offered.

Step 6: If agreeable, the loan is sanctioned and instantly transferred to the bank account of the borrower.

The process is hassle-free and 100% digital.

Conclusion

Traditionally, borrowers had to visit a branch of a bank or NBFC to avail a gold loan. While that’s how most lenders operate even today, some lenders like IIFL Finance have made the entire process digital.

Unlike some gold loan companies which only limit the digital aspect of a gold loan to filling the application online, IIFL Finance offers borrowers a fully digital process to avail a gold loan sitting at the home.

IIFL’s Digital Gold Loan product makes it a hassle-free and fully online process for the borrower, as the company has taken the service right to the customer’s doorstep with a truly digital product.