BI Grants One-Month Transition for Banks to Implement Dollar Purchase Cap Rules

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Bank Indonesia (BI) will implement a new rule capping purchases of US dollars without underlying documentation at US$25,000 per month per purchaser starting June 2026. The policy will include a one-month transitional period from the previous policy. The transition was announced by BI Deputy Governor Thomas Djiwandono at BI’s Board of Governors meeting today (20 May 2026). Thomas said the one-month transition period takes into account the time needed to adjust the systems at Bank Indonesia and at banks. ‘I want to say here that this policy will be implemented at the beginning of June this year, that is next month, with a one-month transition period, taking into account the time needed to adjust the systems at Bank Indonesia and at the banking sector,’ he said. Previously, in May 2026, BI lowered the threshold for purchases of US dollars without underlying documents from US$100,000 to US$50,000 per purchaser per month. The limit was subsequently reduced again to US$25,000. Thomas noted that the earlier policy of reducing foreign exchange purchases without underlying documents from US$100,000 to US$50,000 from April to May 2026 resulted in the average daily transaction value dropping to US$62 million per day from US$78 million in the first quarter of 2026. ‘That is, we expect this trend to continue for the next policy,’ he concluded. (Video CNBC)