Financial Inclusion Reaches 80 Percent, Literacy Lags Behind
The rapid growth of digital financial transactions in Indonesia is not yet fully matched by public understanding. Data from the 2025 National Survey on Financial Literacy and Inclusion (SNLIK) shows that the financial inclusion rate has reached 80.51 percent, while literacy is still stuck at 66.46 percent.
This gap poses a serious challenge amid the dominance of the young generation in the digital economy ecosystem. The Gen Z population is recorded at 75.49 million people or 27.94 percent, followed by millennials at 69.9 million people or 25.87 percent of the total population.
In response to this situation, Bank Indonesia is strengthening consumer protection education by launching the Gerai CERDAS PeKA at the Vocational School of Universitas Sebelas Maret on Friday, 10 April 2026.
Gerai CERDAS PeKA—Cakrawala Edukasi dan Ruang Diskusi Aman untuk Semua Konsumen Indonesia Peduli, Kenali, Adukan—is designed as an education centre for students to understand digital transaction risks, from personal data protection to recognising fraud tactics.
Head of the Payment System Surveillance and Consumer Protection Department at BI, Anton Daryono, said universities are a primary target due to the strategic role of students as active digital service users.
“We see that the young generation, especially students, have a strategic role as digital natives who not only actively use technology but can also become education agents in their environment,” Anton stated in his speech at the Gerai CERDAS PeKA inauguration event.
The programme is part of the national campaign Gerakan Bersama Edukasi Pelindungan Konsumen (GEBER PK), involving regulators, the financial industry, associations, and higher education institutions. BI assesses that strengthening literacy is an important foundation so that digital economic growth is not accompanied by rising cybercrime against consumers.
UNS Rector Hartono also highlighted the considerable gap where society is already using digital financial services but does not fully understand the risks and how to use them wisely.
“Even more concerning, amid the rapid development of financial technology, we are faced with an increase in digital financial fraud cases,” Hartono said.
He revealed that data shows since the end of 2024 to 2025, there have been more than 225,000 reports of financial fraud cases, with total losses reaching around Rp 4.6 trillion.
In addition, thousands of public complaints related to illegal online loans continue to occur, indicating that many people are still trapped in unofficial and high-risk financial services.
“This situation underscores that digital financial literacy is something that must be a collective concern,” he stated.
In this context, Hartono said the presence of Gerai CERDAS PeKA, a collaboration between DANA Indonesia and the UNS Vocational School, is an initiative worthy of appreciation by all parties. “We hope that with this Gerai CERDAS PeKA, it will contribute to building a young generation that is smart in digital transactions, able to recognise financial risks, and wise in utilising financial technology,” he said.
From the industry side, DANA’s Chief of Legal and Compliance, Dina Artarini, assessed that the acceleration of digital service adoption actually increases user vulnerability, especially among the young generation with their fast-paced consumption patterns.
“The rapid growth of digital transactions needs to be balanced with strong understanding from users, especially regarding security and self-protection,” Dina said.
In agreement, Secretary General of the Indonesian Fintech Association, Firlie Ganinduto, called universities the most effective channel to expand financial literacy. With around 9.9 million students in more than 4,000 higher education institutions, education is seen as able to be carried out massively and sustainably.
According to Firlie, strengthening literacy is key to maintaining trust in the national digital ecosystem, while supporting the long-term agenda towards Indonesia Emas 2045. Gerai CERDAS PeKA is developed as a hybrid platform combining offline and online education.
Students can access consumer protection materials, attend digital security seminars, and participate in campaigns and innovation competitions.
Amid the increasing penetration of digital financial services, the main challenge now is no longer access, but ensuring that every user understands the risks and can transact securely.