Gold investment funds continued to consolidate their presence in the Egyptian market by the end of the first half of 2026, with the investor base rising to more than 306,000 clients and net assets reaching about EGP 9.2 billion, remaining the largest instrument for organized investment in precious metals in Egypt, according to a report by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA).
The estimate for gold fund assets comes after excluding the assets of two silver funds amounting to about EGP 146.1 million from the total assets of gold and silver funds, which recorded about EGP 9.35 billion at the end of June 2026. The number of investors in gold funds also reached about 306.7 thousand clients, after excluding about 22.3 thousand investors in silver funds from the total client base of 329,000.
These figures show that gold funds account for more than 98% of the total assets of precious metals funds in Egypt, and about 93% of the total number of investors, reflecting gold's retention of its position as the metal most attractive to domestic savings.
Net assets of gold investment funds had reached about EGP 9.28 billion at the end of March 2026, before the launch of silver funds and the shift of some investors and new liquidity to them during the second quarter.
A direct comparison between asset values in March and June does not necessarily mean a decline in new investments in gold funds, as net asset value is affected by the movement of gold prices themselves, the number of certificates issued and redeemed, as well as expenses and metal valuation prices within each fund.
The Egyptian market currently includes a number of licensed gold funds, after the activity began with the launch of the first fund in May 2023, then the market gradually expanded with the entry of new financial institutions and asset managers, bringing the number of funds to seven during 2026.
These funds provide investors with a means to benefit from gold price movements without actually purchasing and holding bullion or gold coins, as investment is made through certificates that can be purchased and redeemed according to the terms and schedules set for each fund.
The funds also reduce some of the challenges associated with buying physical gold, such as manufacturing and storage costs, risks of loss or theft, and difficulty in verifying purity, but they in return include management fees and various expenses that the investor must review before making a decision.
Gold funds are supervised by the Financial Regulatory Authority, while the metal is handled through accredited entities for metal custody, in addition to controls related to insuring assets against risks of fire, robbery, loss, damage and negligence.
The rise in the number of investors from about 289,000 clients in metals funds at the end of March to about 329,000 at the end of June reflects the broadening of demand for organized investment in gold and silver, an increase of nearly 40,000 clients in three months, although a large part of the increase went to the new silver funds.
Gold funds remain directly linked to the movement of metal prices, and therefore do not provide a fixed or guaranteed return, and the value of the certificate may rise or fall according to changes in the global price per ounce, the exchange rate of the dollar against the pound, and the fund's management costs.
The expansion of these funds confirms that the Egyptian gold market no longer depends solely on jewelry shops and bullion purchases, but now includes an organized financial track that allows investors to gain exposure to gold through purchasable and redeemable certificates, which may enhance the integration of the precious metals market into the non-banking financial sector in the coming years.
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