Jogja Financial Festival 2026 Takeaways: Banking Knowledge and Savings

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — Banking education at the Jogja Financial Festival 2026 has resonated with participants, leading to tangible actions. This was evident as attendees rushed to bank booths at the event held at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC) in Bantul on Saturday, 23 May 2026, following the ‘The Bankers’ Business Talk session. Attendees, ranging from students to the general public, visited booths to open savings accounts, apply for credit cards, seek financing information, and participate in engaging activities. Alia, a first-semester student from Sleman, said, ‘Yes, a savings account. The games were fun and I won a fan as a prize,’ at JEC on Saturday, 23 May 2026. The Business Talk ‘The Bankers’ received positive feedback from Hery Gunardi, President Director of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) TBk. ‘Excellent. The financial literacy initiatives and bank participation are highly positive,’ he said at JEC after the event. The Business Talk ‘The Bankers’ featured directors from major Indonesian banks sharing insights on banking. Hery Gunardi explained that banks function as intermediaries, collecting public funds and channeling them to finance businesses in need of capital. ‘From this fund allocation activity, banks earn a margin, known as the net interest margin. That is where banks thrive,’ Hery said during the session, cited on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. ‘So banks need a large customer base. Therefore, everyone here should become BRI customers,’ he added. According to BRI’s director, banking has continuously evolved. He cited Brett King, a renowned author on banking, who outlined the eras of banking. In Bank 1.0, basic banking transactions were conducted via cheques and drafts. Bank 2.0 introduced ATMs, enabling 24/7 customer service. ‘Bank 3.0 relates to internet banking, where customers, particularly corporate clients, can conduct transactions from their offices without visiting branches,’ Hery said. ‘Bank 4.0 is fintech and digitalisation, which has transformed customer behaviour in Indonesia and globally,’ he added. Hery noted that banking digitalisation has accelerated rapidly, particularly due to the pandemic’s impact several years ago. ‘Customers couldn’t visit branches, so those previously tech-illiterate, unable to use mobile banking, were forced to adopt it due to inability to access ATMs, branches, or tellers,’ he said. Citing Bank Indonesia data, he revealed 50-60 million new users for internet and mobile banking during the pandemic. ‘The current question is how banks can transform as technology, business environments, and customer needs become increasingly complex,’ Hery said. He stated banks must adapt their operations and customer service to stay current and relevant. ‘As Brett King said, banks are technology companies with a banking license. In reality, banks are technology companies,’ Hery added. ‘Thus, he added, banks cannot resist the times. It is imperative to transform ourselves, not just through digitalisation and automation, but also by embracing AI and generative AI. If not, banks risk being abandoned by customers,’ he said.