Digital Gold Investment Decisions Through Technology Acceptance: The Influence of Intention and Gender

This study examines the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) application in gold investment decisions through digital platforms, focusing on intention's mediating role and gender differences in East Java, Indonesia. Using structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS), data were collected from 254 respondents experienced with digital gold investment platforms through purposive sampling and structured questionnaires assessing perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), intention, and investment decisions. All TAM relationships were statistically significant: PEOU to intention (β = 0.214, p = 0.011), PU to intention (β = 0.666, p < 0.001), and intention to gold investment decision (β = 0.575, p < 0.001). Intention significantly mediated both PEOU-investment and PU-investment relationships. The model explained 74% of intention variance and 85.1% of investment decision variance. Gender analysis revealed males showed significant mediation for both PEOU and PU pathways, while females demonstrated significant mediation only through PU. Geographic limitation to East Java and self-reported data may affect generalizability. Future research should expand scope and incorporate behavioral data. Platform developers should prioritize user-friendly interfaces and utility emphasis. Gender-specific strategies are recommended: males respond to both ease and usefulness, while females prioritize benefits and trustworthiness. This study contributes novel insights to digital gold investment literature in emerging markets, identifying gender-based mediation differences for platform design and marketing strategies.