March 17, 2026
KUALA LUMPUR – Gold, once considered an “old-fashioned asset” favored by older generations, has quietly won over the hearts of young people.
As gold prices have tripled over the past decade, more and more people are joining the gold-buying wave—and their reasons span culture, sentiment, investment, and savings.
Loh Tian Hong, sales director of Wah Chan, said the company’s core customers used to be those aged 35 and above.
However, with the 18-35 age group growing in recent years, Wah Chan has gradually adjusted its product offerings to cater to younger tastes.
“In the past, gold was mainly used as gifts for weddings, full moon celebrations, and festive occasions.
“Young people used to prefer platinum and diamonds as jewelry.
“But things are different now—many trendy and ‘influencer-style’ gold products have also won favor among the younger crowd,” he said.
Datuk Ng Yih Pyng, group managing director of Tomei Consolidated Berhad, believes the future trajectory of gold prices is closely tied to the state of the world—the more uncertainty there is globally, the higher gold prices will go.
“Furthermore, as long as central banks continue buying gold, the odds of a significant price pullback are slim.
“Gold supply is very limited, and central banks are not buying gold to profit from trading—they are strategically preserving value and accumulating assets.
“Gold plays a major supporting role for the entire market,” he said.
Meanwhile, Loh advises investors to plan their positions in advance and enter the market in stages rather than committing all funds at once, in order to average out costs and ease the psychological pressure of price fluctuations.
“Gold is a long-term asset allocation—I recommend holding it for three to five years.
“While it may not deliver the highest returns, it is the most loyal and safe haven.
“It is tangible, universally accepted, and indispensable in any investment portfolio,” he said.
Raya bonuses fuel gold-buying surge in Indonesia
Besty, from Medan, Indonesia, told Sin Chew Daily the Indonesian government distributes a bonus equivalent to one month’s salary ahead of Hari Raya, and many people flock to gold shops to buy jewelry as a result.
“It’s more of a cultural tradition—like a custom on the eve of Hari Raya.”
She explained that Indonesians, especially women, are accustomed to converting their spare cash into gold jewelry before Hari Raya when they have more money on hand.
Besides preserving value, the jewelry can also be worn during festive family gatherings and visits.
“After Hari Raya, some people face financial pressure from holiday spending and the delay before the next payday, so they sell off some jewelry to ease the strain—creating a ‘buy before, sell after’ pattern around the festival,” she said.
Besty, a Christian who does not plan to use her bonus to buy gold jewelry, began purchasing small amounts of gold after becoming a civil servant in 1995.
What started as a personal fondness for collecting beautiful gold pieces has evolved into a deeper interest in gold investment, as she has come to appreciate the importance of asset diversification and hedging against inflation.
She added that with the current global economic uncertainty, gold—being relatively stable in value—is a comparatively safe investment and can serve as a long-term wealth reserve and safe-haven tool.
Wong prefers 916 gold: ‘Savings you can see’
Wong, a Johorean working in Singapore, used to add new gold jewelry or exchange old pieces for new ones around Chinese New Year or after receiving his annual bonus when he first entered the workforce.
However, he emphasizes that gold is not about showing off—it is a form of “savings you can see.”
“When our elders got married in the sixties and seventies, family and friends would pool together to buy gold as a wedding gift.
“My parents once showed me a gold chain weighing about 80 grams which was purchased for RM3,000 but had since risen to between RM10,000 and RM20,000 over the years.
“At today’s prices, it could be worth around RM50,000,” he said.
Wong admits that storing it is a headache, and the fear of theft is a constant worry.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, he has shifted to buying digital gold through banks.
He finds online gold trading far more convenient so long as there are funds in his account, as he can buy, cash out, or convert to physical gold bars any time.
For stability and security reasons, however, he only purchases through major bank platforms.
For him, gold is a long-term value-preservation tool, so he avoids short-term speculative trading.
He regards his gold holdings as a retirement fund or an “emergency reserve,” something he can liquidate quickly in times of need.