Chinese gold brand Chow Tai Fook's Demon Slayer-themed products made of pure gold. Photo: Screenshot of Chow Tai Fook's official website

As gold continues to attract attention, ACG (animation, comics, and games) gold jewelry has quickly gained popularity among young consumers in China. While these products are priced at a premium, experts note that the strong spending power of young people should be treated with greater market rationality and regulation.

Recently, the topic "ACG gold priced at 2,800 yuan ($386) per gram" topped Sina Weibo's trending list, with views and discussions continuing to climb.

ACG gold refers to gold jewelry co-branded with anime, comics, or gaming IPs, and has become particularly popular among young consumers. As of press time, more than 6.68 million people on Sina Weibo were following discussions on the phenomenon.

"We are planning to stock some Demon Slayer-themed portrait pendants and character badge keychains between August 25 and 31. In fact, the number of customers already requesting to reserve the keychains has exceeded the available supply," a representative from a Chow Tai Fook store in Beijing told Global Times on Sunday.

The character badge keychain contains 0.1 grams of pure gold and is priced at 378 yuan, while the portrait bead pendant, which can be strung into a bracelet, contains 0.9 grams of gold. Its price has yet to be confirmed, but the official website listed it at 1,998 yuan, according to the representative.

Earlier this year, Chow Tai Fook's gold jewelry collaboration with the Japanese animated series Chiikawa sold out online within two hours of its launch.

"I ordered an 11-gram 'Black Myth: Wukong' gold bracelet from an online store. The price was about 50 percent higher than the gold price at the time. Even so, it was cheaper than most stores I compared, and because Wukong is my favorite character, I felt it was worth it," said Dong, a 28-year-old buyer.

The boom in ACG gold shows that despite the sluggish overall gold jewelry market, such crossover products are becoming growth drivers for jewelry brands. What they value most is young consumers' strong spending potential and the momentum generated by "emotional value" purchases, an expert noted.

According to a real-time gold price platform, branded gold jewelry was priced around 1,000 yuan per gram as of 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The rise of "ACG gold" has both cultural and economic foundations. The rapid growth of anime-inspired subculture reflects the younger generation's embrace of diversity and openness, as they are more willing to explore new trends, said Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine.

"The phenomenon highlights brands' sharp market insight, combining cultural symbols favored by youth with gold, a global store of value. Against the backdrop of a weakening dollar and mounting global economic uncertainties, gold's appeal has grown. When merged with anime culture, it has created a phenomenon that carries both emotional resonance and investment value, making it especially popular among young consumers," Bian said.

At the same time, experts cautioned consumers to remain rational and guard against potential risks, and urged stronger consumer protection in response to such fast-rising trends.

On multiple online platforms, livestreams and videos of "sand gold" jewelry are common. Vendors claim the products, mainly from Vietnam and Myanmar, have consistent color and will never fade. Some even advertise them as resistant to fire, while selling them at prices far below real gold, often just a few hundred yuan, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

Merchants also play tricks with brand names, using characters similar to well-known Chinese jewelry brands to confuse consumers. In reality, "sand gold" is formed when gold-bearing rocks weather and break apart, leaving sand and gravel with a gold content of about 5 percent. Some products sold under this name are simply copper-nickel alloys, which can be harmful to health if worn, according to CMG.

Bian warned that excessive demand has fueled counterfeiting, with low-cost imitations disrupting the market. He called for stricter regulation, greater transparency and public oversight, noting that timely media exposure and stronger consumer awareness will be key to steering the trend back to a rational path.


Global Times