noun
money on hand; cash in one's possession
Refers specifically to the money a person is carrying at a given moment, not total wealth or bank balance. Common in contexts like travel, wallets, or being short of cash.
所持金が足りなくて、切符が買えなかった。
I didn't have enough money on me to buy a ticket.
海外旅行のときは、所持金を分散して持つようにしている。
When traveling abroad, I make sure to keep my cash in separate places.
持ち金 is a more casual synonym for money on hand, but 所持金 is slightly more formal and common in official or written contexts.
Compound of 所持 (しょじ, 'possession, carrying') + 金 (きん, 'money'). The reading is straightforward on'yomi.