{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1664914,
        "msgid": "credit-access-remains-uneven-amar-bank-accelerates-digital-financing-for-smes-1775659922",
        "date": "2026-04-08 21:03:27",
        "title": "Credit access remains uneven, Amar Bank accelerates digital financing for SMEs",
        "author": "",
        "source": "ANTARA_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Finance",
        "summary": "Amar Bank is prioritising digital financing solutions to enhance access for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia, addressing the significant gap in credit availability despite SMEs' vital role in contributing 61% to GDP and employing 97% of the workforce. With government targets for SME credit at 30% unmet at just 19.4% by 2025, the bank leverages AI and streamlined processes to boost financial inclusion, while experts highlight the growth of digital payments to Rp4,000 trillion by 2026 amid challenges like data security. This initiative underscores the potential of digital banking to foster a more inclusive and sustainable economy.",
        "content": "<p>Jakarta (ANTARA) - PT Bank Amar Indonesia Tbk (AMAR) is accelerating\ndigital financing for SMEs as a top priority to strengthen Indonesia\u2019s\ndigital economic resilience. Amar Bank\u2019s President Director Vishal\nTulsian stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that this approach is key to\nunlocking the vast potential of SMEs, which have not been optimally\ndeveloped so far. The company aims to facilitate access for SME players\nto grow their businesses. \u201cThrough easily accessible and reliable\ndigital financial solutions, we want to open greater opportunities for\nSMEs to grow more productively and competitively. This is part of our\ncommitment to unleashing the great potential of SMEs as the backbone of\nthe national economy,\u201d Vishal said. Citing the latest data from the\nMinistry of Cooperatives and SMEs, the number of SMEs in Indonesia\nreaches 64.2 million units, contributing around 61% to Gross Domestic\nProduct (GDP) and absorbing up to 97% of the national workforce.\nNevertheless, access to financing remains a major challenge. The\ngovernment\u2019s target to push SME credit to 30% of total bank credit has\nnot been achieved, with realisation in 2025 still around 19.4%. For this\nreason, digital banking plays a crucial role in bridging that gap.\nVishal believes digitalisation enables simpler processes, faster\nfinancing access, and more secure systems, thereby promoting broader\nfinancial inclusion. In agreement, Nailul Huda, Director of Economics at\nthe Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), also views limited\nfinancing access as the main challenge for SME players in Indonesia.\nDuring a discussion at the Digital Banking &amp; Economic Outlook 2026:\nAwakening Indonesia\u2019s Sleeping Giant event, Nailul noted that many small\nbusiness operators still rely on personal capital or family loans due to\nadministrative barriers and high costs of accessing banking services.\n\u201cIn this context, the presence of digital banks and ability-based\nfinancing schemes offers opportunities to expand financial access,\nespecially in areas still dependent on informal loans,\u201d he said. He\nadded that amid these challenges, Indonesia\u2019s digital economy continues\nto show significant growth. Nailul noted that the value of digital\npayment transactions is projected to reach Rp4,000 trillion by 2026.\nThis substantial figure is driven by increasing internet and mobile\ndevice usage, as well as rapid QRIS growth from both user and merchant\nsides. However, he warned that data security issues and digital talent\nlimitations remain major challenges. \u201cLooking ahead, strengthening\nliteracy, financial inclusion, and digital innovation is key to driving\nmore inclusive and sustainable economic growth,\u201d Nailul said.\nFurthermore, Josua Sloane Solagracia, Senior Vice President of MSME at\nAmar Bank, stated the company\u2019s commitment to providing appropriate\nsolutions to help SME players overcome barriers to formal financial\nservices. According to him, through the Amar Bank Bisnis service, SME\nplayers are encouraged to build more organised, systematic, and\ndocumented administration and financial management systems. \u201cThis\nsolution not only helps daily operational efficiency but also\nstrengthens the business foundation in the long term. With a more\nstructured financial track record, SMEs have greater opportunities to be\nobjectively assessed as creditworthy by financial institutions, thus\nopening up access to formal financing,\u201d Josua said. Meanwhile, on the\ntechnology and operations side, Amar Bank\u2019s Director of Information\nTechnology and Operations Kevin Kane revealed that his company will\ncontinue to strengthen innovations, including through the use of\nartificial intelligence (AI)-based technology. This is done to improve\nefficiency and accuracy in the overall banking process. \u201cAmid rapidly\nevolving technology, we continue to develop infrastructure and explore\nnew innovations to drive productivity and efficiency. Through\nautomation, real-time underwriting processes, and customer behaviour\nanalysis, we can deliver faster, more accurate, and secure\ndecision-making,\u201d Kevin said.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/credit-access-remains-uneven-amar-bank-accelerates-digital-financing-for-smes-1775659922",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}