Indonesia turns to digital finance to reach unbanked population

SCMP | Feb. 10, 2026, 7:44 a.m. | Original

A teller prepares rupiah bank notes at a money changer in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 9, 2025. The Southeast Asian nation has one of the world’s largest populations without access to banking services. Photo: Reuters

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“In Indonesia, the role of digitalisation is essential,” said Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, chairman of the board and president commissioner at PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia, at the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday.

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia is the oldest bank in the country and has made expanding financial inclusion in the Southeast Asian nation a top priority.

His remarks came after Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority outlined three policy priorities earlier this month: strengthening the resilience of the financial services sector, developing a contributive financial services ecosystem and deepening sustainable finance.

Meanwhile, across Asia, owners of small and medium-sized enterprises are taking advantage of digital financial services to borrow money, settle payments and establish digital profiles, according to business representatives from Singapore-based financial technology firm Ant International and Hong Kong-based insurance company FWD , who spoke on the same panel.

According to Ant International, it had solidified its Asian user base through “digital footprints” and drew on experiences in China and beyond. China, it noted, had “the largest sample size in terms of population”.

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