Yes. In Indonesia you can legally own crypto and trade it as an investment, but only through platforms licensed by the Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, OJK). You can't use it to pay for anything. The rupiah is the only legal tender. Bank Indonesia's payment rules stop licensed payment providers from processing crypto. The newest change is Law No. 4 of 2026, promulgated on 17 June 2026. It amends the financial-sector law and makes running a crypto business without an OJK licence a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The short answer by activity
| Activity | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Buying, holding and selling crypto through an OJK-licensed trader | Legal |
| Trading assets on the approved list of a licensed exchange | Legal |
| Paying for goods, services or wages in crypto | Not allowed: rupiah is required |
| Payment companies processing crypto payments | Prohibited under Bank Indonesia rules |
| Operating a crypto trading business without an OJK licence | Criminal offence |
| Using an unlisted (offshore) platform as a trader | OJK says this "may" breach licensing rules; it also costs more in tax |
What changed most recently
June 2026: Law No. 4 of 2026 amends the P2SK Law
The House of Representatives (DPR) passed the revision of Law No. 4 of 2023 on the Development and Strengthening of the Financial Sector (UU P2SK) on 4 June 2026. It was promulgated on 17 June 2026 as Law No. 4 of 2026, as reported by kumparan. What it changes for crypto:
- New licensing articles. Articles 221A to 221F set licensing rules for crypto-asset financial services institutions and for other digital-financial-asset institutions.
- Criminal penalty. Under Article 304A(1), running a crypto or other digital-financial-asset business without an OJK business licence carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to "category VIII". Article 79 of the 2023 Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023) sets that category at IDR 50 billion.
- Wider OJK authority. On 3 June 2026, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the government and the DPR had agreed to adjust OJK's authority over crypto assets. OJK also gains power to set further rules for financial services that affect risks to customers (Kontan).
October–November 2025: derivatives brought into scope
OJK Regulation No. 23 of 2025 (POJK 23/2025) amends POJK 27/2024. It was set on 31 October 2025 and promulgated on 10 November 2025. Analysis by SSEK Law Firm in the Chambers 2026 practice guide says its main effect is to recognise "derivatives of digital financial assets as digital financial assets in their own right". That puts crypto derivatives under OJK supervision.
January 2025: oversight moved from BAPPEBTI to OJK
OJK issued POJK 27/2024 on 10 December 2024, and it took effect on 10 January 2025. On that date supervision of crypto trading passed from the Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (BAPPEBTI) to OJK. The regulation treats crypto as a "digital financial asset" (aset keuangan digital) rather than a commodity. It names four types of licensed operator: exchanges, traders, clearing institutions and custodians. Licences and approvals that BAPPEBTI issued before the regulation took effect stayed valid (Article 130, per MetaLAW).
Why you can't pay with crypto
There are two separate rules.
- The Currency Law (Law No. 7 of 2011). Article 21 requires the rupiah for payments, for settling other money obligations and for other financial transactions in Indonesia. Article 33(1) punishes anyone who doesn't use the rupiah with up to one year's detention and a fine of up to IDR 200 million, as summarised by Hukumonline.
- Bank Indonesia's payment-system rules. Bank Indonesia Regulation (PBI) 18/40/PBI/2016 barred payment system providers from processing transactions in virtual currency. Later payment rules kept the ban. The Chambers 2026 guide states that payment service providers "are also prohibited from processing payment transactions involving crypto-assets."
OJK said the same thing in December 2025: crypto "tetap bukan alat pembayaran yang sah dan hanya dapat diperdagangkan sebagai instrumen investasi". In English, that means it is not legal tender and can only be traded as an investment instrument. Stablecoins get no exception. SSEK writes that fiat-backed stablecoins "are not specifically regulated in Indonesia", so they are treated like any other crypto asset.
The ban has been applied in practice. In May 2023 Bank Indonesia said it would act against foreign and Indonesian nationals using crypto as payment, after the practice spread in tourist areas such as Bali (Bisnis.com).
How big the regulated market is
The most recent official figures come from OJK Chair Friderica Widyasari Dewi, speaking on 3 August 2026 after a Financial System Stability Committee (KSSK) meeting:
- 22.69 million crypto investors as of June 2026
- IDR 28.58 trillion in crypto transactions during June 2026
- 1,272 crypto assets approved for domestic trading as of end-June 2026
- 32 licensed entities: 2 exchanges, 2 clearing and settlement institutions, 2 custodians and 26 digital-financial-asset traders
The approved-asset count changes from month to month. In May 2026 an OJK official cited 1,464 assets and 25 licensed traders (CNBC Indonesia), so the list a platform shows today may differ from either figure.
Is your crypto activity legal in Indonesia?
Answer up to three questions to see how Indonesia's 2026 rules treat what you plan to do with crypto.
What do you want to do with crypto in Indonesia?
- Pay for goods, services or wages → Not allowed: the rupiah is required
- Buy, hold or sell it as an investment → next question
- Run a crypto trading business → next question
Is the platform you use on OJK's official list of licensed entities?
- Yes, it is on OJK's list → next question
- No, it is unlisted or offshore → Legal risk and a higher tax rate
Is the crypto asset on that licensed exchange's list of approved assets?
- Yes, it is approved → Legal as an investment
- No, it is not on the list → Not available through licensed channels
Does the business hold an OJK business licence?
- Yes, it is OJK-licensed → Operating under OJK supervision
- No licence → A criminal offence since June 2026
Article 21 of the Currency Law (Law No. 7 of 2011) requires the rupiah for payments, and Article 33(1) sets up to one year's detention and a fine of up to IDR 200 million. Bank Indonesia's rules also bar payment providers from processing crypto payments. Stablecoins get no exception.
OJK warns that using a platform outside its list may breach licensing rules and could lead to criminal sanctions. Sales through a foreign or unlicensed platform carry a 1% final income tax, against 0.21% through a licensed domestic trader, and if a foreign platform does not collect it, the seller must pay it themselves.
Each licensed exchange keeps its own list of tradable assets. A crypto asset that is not on the list cannot be offered through licensed Indonesian channels. The approved-asset count changes from month to month, so check the current list.
Buying, holding and selling an approved asset through an OJK-licensed trader is legal. Expect identity checks under anti-money-laundering rules, customer funds kept in segregated accounts with the clearing institution, and a final income tax of 0.21% of the transaction value on sales. VAT on purchases was removed from 1 August 2025.
Licensed operators are supervised by OJK under POJK 27/2024, which names four types: exchanges, traders, clearing institutions and custodians. Law No. 4 of 2026 adds licensing rules in Articles 221A to 221F and wider OJK authority over crypto assets.
Under Article 304A(1) of Law No. 4 of 2026, running a crypto or other digital-financial-asset business without an OJK business licence carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to category VIII, which Article 79 of the 2023 Criminal Code sets at IDR 50 billion.
This sorts common situations by the rules the article describes; it does not cover mining, DeFi or NFTs, does not check any platform or asset against OJK's current lists, and is not legal or investment advice.
Using a platform legally: what to check
- Find the platform on OJK's list. OJK says trading may only take place through entities on its official list. It warns that "penggunaan platform di luar daftar berpotensi melanggar ketentuan perizinan dan dapat berujung pada sanksi pidana", meaning that using a platform outside the list may breach licensing rules and could lead to criminal sanctions (Pasardana, 24 December 2025).
- Expect identity checks. Licensed traders must verify customers as part of anti-money-laundering rules; see what KYC involves for the documents and steps.
- Check the asset is approved. Each licensed exchange keeps its own list of tradable assets, and a crypto asset that isn't on the list can't be offered through licensed Indonesian channels (SSEK, Chambers 2026).
- Know where your money sits. OJK says customer funds must be kept in segregated accounts placed with the clearing institution (Investortrust).
- Watch for impostors. Unlicensed operators often pose as regulated ones, and most of them show the same crypto scam red flags.
How crypto is taxed
Minister of Finance Regulation No. 50 of 2025 (PMK 50/2025) took effect on 1 August 2025. According to the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP):
- Income tax on sales: a final Article 22 income tax of 0.21% of transaction value through a domestic platform registered as a licensed trader, and 1% through a foreign or unlicensed platform. If a foreign platform isn't appointed to collect the tax, the seller must pay it themselves.
- VAT on purchases: removed. Crypto assets treated as securities "kini tidak dikenai PPN" (are no longer subject to VAT).
- VAT on services: still applies to platform services such as fiat trading, swaps and e-wallets, at 12% on a tax base of 11/12 of the fee.
- Mining: VAT-registered miners charge an effective 2.2% VAT on verification services. From tax year 2026, mining income is taxed at the general income-tax rate under Article 17 of the Income Tax Law.
Areas the rules don't clearly cover
- Mining. Miners are not among the four operator types OJK licenses, but mining income is taxable as described above.
- Stablecoin payments. No framework exists. The rupiah requirement applies.
Bottom line
Crypto in Indonesia is a regulated investment, not money. Owning it and trading it through an OJK-licensed trader is legal. Paying with it isn't. Since June 2026, running an unlicensed crypto business is a crime under the amended P2SK Law. For traders, the practical rules are to use a platform on OJK's list, keep to approved assets, and remember that the 0.21% domestic tax rate is far lower than the 1% offshore rate.
This is general information, not legal or investment advice.
