Queue Times for New Banknote Exchange on BI's PINTAR Platform Reach 3,662 Hours — Netizens: 'We'll Get In After Eid'

Jakarta, VIVA – Registration for the second period of new banknote exchanges via Bank Indonesia’s PINTAR service officially opened today, Tuesday, 24 February 2026, at 08:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB). The first registration phase had been held on 14 February 2026, with quotas filling up completely.

The overwhelming public enthusiasm triggered unexpected conditions. Numerous netizens expressed shock upon seeing estimated waiting times running into thousands of hours.

“Estimated queue time: 3,622 minutes and 40 seconds,” read a screenshot of the PINTAR website shared by Fifi Puspita Sari via her X account @phihie.

Fifi was not alone. Another X user, @nicolauseka, also shared an extraordinarily long estimated waiting time, with the PINTAR website displaying an estimated queue duration of 1,994 minutes and 17 seconds before even reaching the subsequent stages.

After completing the online queue, registrants are directed to click on “Rupiah Currency Exchange via Mobile Cash Services,” then select a mobile cash location, choose an exchange schedule, input order data and contact details, enter the rupiah denominations to be exchanged, and review the order confirmation. The final and equally important step is downloading the booking receipt.

“I thought mine was already the longest,” wrote @nicolauseka.

“Never mind, we’ll get in after Eid has passed,” replied @phihie.

Based on VIVA’s monitoring of the BI PINTAR website, the estimated queue time as of 14:07 WIB remained considerable at 11 minutes and 41 seconds, indicating that large numbers of citizens were still pursuing new banknotes.

The surge in waiting times occurred as visitor numbers accessing the platform simultaneously skyrocketed from the early morning hours. Citizens were racing to secure new banknote exchange quotas ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, given that the service has become a routine necessity for the tradition of sharing cash gifts during Lebaran.

The new banknote exchange programme is part of Bank Indonesia’s Semarak Rupiah Ramadan dan Berkah Idulfitri (SERAMBI) 2026 initiative. Under the programme, members of the public are required to place orders online through the PINTAR application before exchanging money at designated locations. BI does not provide direct exchanges without prior digital registration.

Bank Indonesia had previously allocated Rp8.6 trillion specifically for the public new banknote exchange service. Each individual is entitled to receive a new banknote package with a maximum value of Rp5.3 million, comprising various denominations ranging from Rp50,000 to Rp1,000.