Global Diversification Becomes Key Strategy for Indonesian Retail Investors
Portfolio diversification is becoming an important part of the strategy for Indonesian retail investors. In addition to spreading investments across various asset classes, more investors are beginning to see opportunities in global markets, particularly US stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
This development has occurred alongside increased public access to global investment instruments that can be used from within the country. Investment in shares of global companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Tesla is becoming increasingly familiar to Indonesian retail investors.
Based on internal data from Pluang, the number of US stock investors actively transacting each month has increased sixfold over the past three years. Over the same period, the number of first-time investors in this asset class surged by as much as 63 times.
The growth in interest is also no longer concentrated in metropolitan cities. As many as 38% of US stock investors on Pluang come from secondary and tertiary cities. Meanwhile, Pluang’s services are now used by investors in more than 300 cities and regencies across Indonesia.
This data shows that investment in global assets is beginning to become part of more mainstream investment activity among retail investors. The growing interest in global assets is also reflected in the assets under management (AUM) of US stocks and ETFs on Pluang, which increased 19-fold over the past three years.
In the first quarter of 2026, around one in five new investors on Pluang began their investment journey through US stocks and ETFs. This figure demonstrates the growing role of global assets in the portfolio diversification of Indonesian investors.
Not only in terms of investor numbers, ownership patterns also show a tendency towards long-term investment. More than 70% of investors who first bought global shares a year ago are still holding those shares to this day.
This condition is considered to show that interest in global shares is not solely driven by short-term speculative activity, but is beginning to be used as part of a long-term diversification strategy.
“Indonesian investors are now far more adept at finding new growth opportunities. With a more global mindset, they are pursuing world-class opportunities to complement, not replace, their local portfolios,” said Pluang Director of Marketing & Commercial Andreas Agung Hendrawan, quoted on Monday (10/8).
According to Andreas, one factor making the US stock market increasingly relevant for investors is the growing role of companies related to artificial intelligence (AI) in the global stock market. He cited Goldman Sachs 2026 data showing that AI-related companies account for around 45% of the S&P 500 market capitalisation.
“This underscores why regulated access to these companies is very important for Indonesian investors who are diversifying globally so that they do not miss out on this growth potential,” said Andreas.
In terms of investment choices, Pluang provides access to more than 650 US stocks and ETFs. Investors can also use a fractional ownership mechanism, allowing investment without having to buy a full share.
In addition to stocks and ETFs, advanced investment instruments such as Options and Leverage are also available for experienced investors. Their use is accompanied by information about risks and is tailored to investors’ risk management needs.
Amid the growing interest in global investment, ownership and investor protection aspects are important concerns. Pluang stated that it has fully transitioned its US stock and ETF products to the Penyaluran Amanat Nasabah ke Bursa Luar Negeri (PALN) scheme in 2025.
PALN is a scheme used to facilitate foreign stock investment for domestic retail investors through a mechanism recognised in Indonesian regulations. Under this scheme, investors have direct ownership of the underlying shares.
Through its partnership with PT PG Berjangka, Pluang executes transactions through a futures broker licensed by Bappebti and authorised as a Securities Broker-Dealer for Financial Derivatives by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).
Customer transactions are officially recorded on the Jakarta Futures Exchange (JFX) and guaranteed by the Indonesian Futures Clearing House (KBI). Meanwhile, transactions on the US stock market are executed through Alpaca Securities LLC, a broker that is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and under the supervision of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
With this mechanism, investors can have fractional ownership of underlying shares, including obtaining dividend rights proportionally according to their ownership. Since the global stock product was launched, Pluang said investors have received total dividend payments worth tens of billions of rupiah from the shares they own.
This is one indicator that the investments made not only provide exposure to share price movements, but also provide the economic rights attached to ownership of the underlying shares.
“As the outlook of the Indonesian public becomes increasingly global, our task is not merely to provide access, but also to continuously improve the standards of quality, transparency, and investor protection behind it. The decision to fully transition to the PALN scheme reflects that commitment,” Andreas explained.