NEXT: Digital Economy Development Must Focus on Increasing Number of Digital Entrepreneurs

Researcher Rezky Reza Pratama from the NEXT Indonesia Center has stated that the development of Indonesia’s digital economy must focus on increasing the number of digital business actors so that the internet can further drive productivity and boost public income. He argued that internet utilisation should be directed towards working, doing business, expanding markets, and creating added value, rather than merely for consumption activities. “In this way, the digital economy will not only grow large in terms of transaction value, but also become an instrument capable of driving the economic mobility of the people,” Reza said in a written statement in Jakarta on Sunday. Research by NEXT Indonesia Center reveals that the number of people shopping online increased from 14.9 million in 2019 to 54 million in 2025. Conversely, the number of digital business actors has remained stagnant at around 9 million over the past three years. According to him, this condition indicates that the electronic commerce ecosystem in Indonesia is still stronger as a consumer market rather than as a space for new business actors to grow. “Digital platforms have successfully made it easier for people to shop. However, the number of people who can move up to become digital business actors has not grown as fast as the number of consumers. This is a major challenge for Indonesia’s digital economy agenda,” he said. Reza stated that the success of the digital economy cannot be measured solely by the value of transactions, but also by the increasing number of people earning an income through digital platforms. The NEXT Indonesia Center research also shows that the ability to utilise the internet for economic activities is directly proportional to the level of public welfare. Therefore, the challenge of digital economy development is no longer just about expanding internet access, but about ensuring that people have equal capabilities and opportunities to turn digital connectivity into a source of income. According to Reza, Indonesia has a significant opportunity through the aspiring middle class group, which constitutes the largest users of the internet and e-commerce in Indonesia. “If more people in this group utilise digital platforms for entrepreneurship, the impact will not only increase household incomes but also expand the base of national business actors,” he said. He stressed that the main issue for Indonesia’s digital economy today is no longer who is connected to the internet, but rather who is able to transform that connectivity into economic opportunity.