Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt’s gold investment funds have recorded strong growth in both assets and investor participation, with total net assets reaching approximately EGP 5.145 billion and the number of investors exceeding 324,000 by the end of 2025, according to Mohamed Farid, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA).
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday titled “Harvest of 2025: From Regulation to Empowerment,” Farid said the FRA has successfully regulated and launched four gold investment funds as part of its broader strategy to diversify investment instruments and offer hedging products suited to different categories of investors.
Farid noted that the growing interest in gold funds reflects their appeal as both a savings and investment vehicle, particularly amid economic volatility and inflationary pressures. He described the performance of the funds as a clear indicator of increasing public confidence in regulated, non-banking financial products linked to real assets.
Since their launch, gold investment funds have witnessed steady and accelerated growth. Net assets rose from around EGP 839 million at the end of January 2024 to EGP 1.308 billion by December 2024. This upward trend continued throughout 2025, with assets reaching EGP 1.721 billion by the end of March, EGP 2.438 billion by June, EGP 3.155 billion by September, and ultimately exceeding EGP 5 billion by the end of December.
Investor participation expanded in parallel with asset growth. The number of investors increased from about 79,000 in January 2024 to 139,000 by September of the same year. By March 2025, the figure had risen to 185,000, before reaching 239,000 by September 2025 and surpassing 324,000 by year-end. Farid highlighted that individual investors accounted for a significant share of this growth, underscoring the funds’ role in attracting first-time and small-scale investors.
Farid emphasized that the FRA placed strong emphasis on establishing a robust regulatory framework from the outset. This framework governs pricing mechanisms, custody, and valuation processes, while ensuring that investments are directly linked to physical gold. He said these measures were designed to enhance transparency, safeguard investor rights, and reinforce confidence in the new product.
The regulation of gold investment funds, Farid explained, forms part of a wider effort by the FRA to deepen Egypt’s non-banking financial sector, broaden access to diversified savings tools, and reduce reliance on traditional investment channels. He added that these initiatives also support financial inclusion by enabling a wider segment of society to participate in regulated investment opportunities.
Looking ahead, Farid said the authority is continuing to study the introduction of additional investment products linked to commodities and real assets, signaling a sustained push to expand the range of financial instruments available in the Egyptian market and strengthen its resilience.
